Smelling them can be stimulating (5)
I believe the answer is:
salts
If this is the answer I cannot explain how the clue works.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for salts that I've seen before include "Six [EPSOM]'s might revive" , "Epsom--; smelling --" , "medication" , "Saline draughts" , "Old sailors" .)