According to Seth Rogen, the movie preceded the pot name. Per the Cannabist, he insists that the strain rose to fame because of the film. But there are other explanations for this strain’s origins as well.

While not commonly used among meteorologists, Pineapple Express is a term used to describe a strong flow of atmospheric moisture that’s accompanied by heavy rains. It arises from the waters near Hawaii and extends up the Pacific coast. Another name for this phenomenon is “atmospheric river,” narrow regions in the atmosphere that horizontally transport water vapor out of the tropics.

This phenomenon is not common; one did occur this year, however. It caused flooding in parts of California, especially the Bay area and led to mudslides that unfortunately destroyed homes. The most notable one prior to that occurred in December of 2014, again in California. It caused snow (including a blizzard warning), wind, and flooding. It even caused a tornado in LA, something that’s practically unheard of in that part of California (or anywhere in California). Most tornados in the United States occur east of the Rocky Mountains.

It makes more sense for the strain to be named after a movie – a stoner movie, nonetheless – but the weather term offers at least another prospect. Of course, Pineapple Express could be named after neither of these options and instead named after something else entirely…. a train that ships fruit overnight, for instance.

No matter where the name comes from, the weed itself finds its origins in a seed company called G13 Labs. The baby of Hawaiian and Trainwreck, it’s a hybrid dominated by sativa. Its THC content is variable, ranging between a moderate 15 percent to a not-so-moderate 26 percent. It contains some CBD too, which makes it helpful in pain control for people suffering from disease and other ailments.

The strain found its footing in California medical dispensaries and, for a time, was mainly popular within the state. Nowadays, that’s changed and Pineapple Express is a sought-after smoke by pot users all over the nation.

Not surprisingly, Pineapple Express smells like pineapple, but other fruits prevail too. Mango, for instance.

This strain, for many, has creeper-like qualities; rather than hitting you all at once, it stares into your bedroom window from the bushes in the front lawn. Or it just takes a while for the effects to hit – you decide. When the effects do appear, they start in the head and leave the user’s perception changed. Some people experience a honing of the senses – colors and sounds, especially, grow more acute.

The head high gives way to a body high that manifests as relaxation of the arms and legs and feelings of ease. Its ability to offer both head and body perks helps make this strain one that’s appropriate for many occasions, from social get togethers to, yes, even work.

From a medicinal standpoint, Pineapple Express is used to help with anxiety and mood disorders, help provide pep to lethargic patients, and help ease pain. It’s not as good at the latter as other strains, but it helps people with minor discomfort. If anything, the head high helps alter the perception of pain.

This is good news for medical patients as it provides longer relief. This is also good news for recreational patient as it makes a cannabis stash last longer – move over whales, it’s time to save the weed.

Anyone hoping to smoke Pineapple Express and recreate scenes from the movie should do so cautiously – most people claim the strain isn’t anywhere as potent as what’s smoked in the film. This isn’t to say it’s a bad choice, but if you’re looking for something exceptionally strong, this strain isn’t the most ideal imbibement.

No matter how the name came to be, the film certainly helped hype the pot. Movies can do that when applied appropriately – a strain named after Terms of Endearment or Beaches probably wouldn’t have the desired impact. Neither would one named after Old Yeller.

Pineapple Express, on the other hand, did what it set out to – make people laugh. It also got people excited about marijuana. Thus, even if the name came before the film, the fame came after it.

If you’re interested in a few fun facts from the movie, consider these gems:

Seth Rogen rolled every joint himself.

It’s the first pot comedy to bring in over 100 million dollars in profit.

The film took only two-weeks to shoot. It was shot right after Superbad.

Seth Rogen wrote the script back in 2001, but no one would purchase it. Instead, he had to rise to fame before producers took a chance on him. He did this through the 40-Year-Old Virgin and Knocked Up.

James Franco, in the commentary, gave tips on how to act stoned: Just look into the wind.

The F-word, or some version of it, is said almost 200 times. So, you know what you need to do: watch this movie with your Nana!