DRUG DOGS: CAN THEY SMELL CBD?

06. 11. 2023

Everyone has encountered police dogs at some point, whether at an airport, a train station or a music festival. Encounters with drug dogs are often unpleasant. Even if you don't have any illegal substances on you, the sight of a dog trained to detect drugs can make your heart race. A dog's sense of smell is so great, they can sniff out almost anything. That's why they have also become ideal companions for police officers trying to track down all sorts of substances and dangerous objects. But how accurate are these dogs? What kind of substances can they find? Can they smell CBD products? And should you be afraid of them? All these questions are answered in this article.

Where you can meet drug dogs

Drug dogs are trained to use their sense of smell to detect different substances, especially drugs. Drug dogs are most often deployed in public places where various addictive substances may be present in large quantities and passed around. In addition, the presence of drug dogs is often required at any major event where there is a risk of drug use, such as music festivals or concerts.

They are also often seen walking around airports, train stations and public transport. National borders are also a hotspot for detection dogs.

In general, you should expect that if you are traveling or attending a large event, there is a high probability that you will encounter drug detection dogs.

How are drug dogs trained?

In the past, dogs were commonly used for their sense of smell. Many breeds were trained specifically to hunt foxes or rabbits. For many years, hunting dogs have served as assistants to the police in the search for fugitives or missing persons.

Drug dogs are trained to search for certain substances. The most common ones include illegal drugs, explosives, blood and human remains.

When it comes to illegal substances, detection dogs don't just look for cannabis; the list is quite extensive and includes heroin, cocaine, ecstasy, ketamine and also LSD.

Dogs trained to detect drugs are highly specialised. They have been trained for several years to be able to sense very specific terpenes in cannabis. These terpenes include caryophyllene, beta-caryophyllene and pinene.

Can drug dogs sense CBD?

Drug dogs can sense CBD oil and can be trained to do so. Drug dogs can easily detect CBD oil in all forms. This is because this oil has a very strong and concentrated smell.

These dogs have a sense of smell 10,000 to 100,000 times more developed than humans. This means that with proper training, they can smell almost anything. However, recent reports suggest that drug dogs are currently trained primarily to detect hard drugs or dangerous explosives, and not always to detect cannabis.

CBD oil is a common remedy to alleviate some medical conditions. Therefore, you don't have to worry about any problems if these dogs detect them. Even so, it is best to find out what thelegislation is inthe state in question just to be sure.

What is the job of drug dogs at airports?

Airport detection dogs are service dogs used at airports by police officers or customs officers who are trained to search for contraband substances such as drugs and to locate explosives.

Detection dogs are used for many purposes at airports. During security checks , they sniff passengers and their hand luggage, and if someone points out a suspicious package or the presence of a dangerous object on board, the dogs will check the aircraft, passengers and cargo hold.

The dogs work undercover to avoid detection of potential suspects. Once a dog detects the presence of a prohibited substance, it does not bark or make any sounds. Often, it will simply sit on the suspect's luggage to alert the officer to a problem.

One of the many advantages of dogs is that no matter how hard the passenger tries to hide the substance, narcotics dogs are trained to detect illegal odors, even if the substances are thoroughly sealed in a bag or hidden deep in luggage

There are several ways to avoid detection by drug dogs, one of which is to stay as far away from them as possible. Unfortunately, this is not always possible. Another option is not to carry anything illegal into the airport.

What should I do when checked by a drug dog?

If a police dog approaches you, it's best to stand still and let it do its job. If the dog doesn't find any traces of drugs, it will leave and you can continue on your way.

If the dog sits down next to you, it may indicate that it has smelled drugs. However, this does not mean that the police will immediately conclude that you are in possession of any illegal substances. It is up to the officer's discretion whether or not to search you.

Based on the findings using the dog , the officer may call for a search. This may include a pat-down, asking you to remove outer clothing such as a coat and shoes, searching your clothing or personal belongings, or using a metal detector.

Always keep a record of the reasons that led to the search and how it was carried out. This information may be relevant if you are charged or if you wish to make a complaint.

How accurate are drug dogs?

Many people believe that drug dogs are very reliable. Their presence at festivals or airports gives an intimidating impression and discourages people from possessing or using drugs in places where these dogs may be present.

However, drug-detecting dogs are not always as accurate as they might first appear. That's according to one study that examined how quickly dogs of different breeds can detect the presence of banned substances. They used 68 Labradors, 61 German Shepherds, 25 terriers and 10 English Cocker Spaniels to find out. Most drug dogs were able to detect substances very quickly and reliably. But 5.3% of the cases were false accusations.

The dogs can smell drugs, but they can't determine the quantity. The only thing a dog can detect is that a person smells of illegal substances.

Should we be afraid of drug dogs?

Dogs have a great sense of smell that is thousands of times better than that of humans. That's why they make great companions for police officers searching for narcotics and even explosives. Detection dogs are not machines, however, and the chances of being wrong are quite high. Even so, an encounter with a detection dog is an unpleasant experience, regardless of whether you are carrying a prohibited substance or not. As for CBD oil, whatever its intended use, it has a very strong smell that drug dogs can easily detect, even when mixed with various other scents. For this reason, it is important to check the laws and regulations regarding CBD in your country before travelling.

You shouldn't be unduly worried about drug dogs. However, it is always important to check the legislation of the country in question, even when it comes to CBD. You can also buy many of the CBD products on our e-shop. For example, get CBD oil or give CBD capsules a chance.