The classics never go out of style.
There’s an argument in cannabis circles. Pineapple Express: which came first- the strain or the film? If you ask Seth Rogen, he’ll tell you the movie came first, with the genetics sharing the same name developed later in tribute.
“There was no Pineapple Express weed before the movie Pineapple Express.” – Seth Rogan
What’s the real story?
Answers in cannabis folklore are shrouded in thick rings of smoke. Pineapple Express fans can follow three narratives for the origin of this now-classic cannabis strain.
Pineapple Express, the film (2008).
The film Pineapple Express, released in 2008, is a classic in the canon of stoner comedies. It’s one of the best, alongside heavy hitters like Dazed and Confused, The Big Lebowski, Friday, and Cheech and Chong’s Up in Smoke.
Here’s a quick summary:
A process server (Seth Rogen) and his weed-dealing friend (James Franco) witness a murder and are forced to run. It’s a simple plot-line with hazy smoke sessions and ambling comedic passages that keep viewers rolling (pun intended) on the floor.
Rogen insists the film came before the strain, but the truth is probably somewhere in the middle. He also says that he and co-writer, Evan Goldberg rolled the over 100 cross-shaped joints featured in the film because on one else on-set knew how to do it.
And again, Rogen says the film came before the strain:
*Bonus reading: Rolling Stone’s “10 Best Stoner Movies of All Time.”
Pineapple Express, the weather event.
Pineapple Express is a non-technical meteorological term for a phenomenon characterized by a steady flow of atmospheric moisture and heavy rains. Storms rise from waters near the Hawaiian islands and extend along the pacific coast of North America. Meteorologists also call the phenomenon “atmospheric river” – a more general term for “narrow corridors of enhanced water vapor transport at mid-latitudes around the world.” (Wikipedia)
It’s an uncommon phenomenon. Still, in December of 2014, Pineapple Express caused snow, wind, and flooding in parts of California with a tornado in Los Angeles (practically unheard of in Southern California).
The weather term Pineapple Express is older than the film, but it’s more plausible to think the strain was named after the movie, and not for the meteorological phenomenon.
Pineapple Express, the cannabis strain.
The names’ origins are hazy, but one thing is sure: the Pineapple Express strain originates from seed company G13 Labs (well, maybe, that’s up for debate too). A sativa-dominant hybrid, it’s the child of Trainwreck and Hawaiian, with a variable THC content, ranging from a low 15% to a heavy-hitting 26%. And Pineapple Express includes a bit of CBD, making it helpful for people looking for relief from general pain and anxiety.
According to Leafly, “the smell is likened to fresh apple and mango, with a taste of pineapple, pine, and cedar. This hybrid provides a long-lasting energetic buzz perfect for productive afternoons and creative escapes.”
Pineapple Express’s head high yields to a relaxing and energetic body high. Fans of the strain find it appropriate for everything from social gatherings and inspired work sessions, to house cleaning and endurance sports (running, etc.). And, as we’ve mentioned, Pineapple Express helps ease the ill-effects of daily anxieties, aches, and pains. Also, the long-lasting effects of Pineapple Express make it an ideal strain for medical patients interested in long relief.
“The clone that’s passed around as Pineapple Express first appeared in California medical dispensaries, but has since spread to the rest of the world. We would assume it was California-bred, but the mysterious nature of this strain makes it hard to pin down. The seed company game is notoriously full of liars, so we hesitate to say any of them had anything to do with this variety.” – Thrillist
Our hazy conclusion.
We aren’t sure of exactly where Pineapple Express (the strain) originates. It’s like the question, what came first, the chicken or the egg? The movie helped the strains’ popularity, but the strain itself is so beloved that no matter what you call it, it’d be a hit among Colorado’s cannabis consumers.