Halloween & Cannabis: History, Strains, and Films

As cannabis legalization continues to spread, Halloween is becoming more weed-centric as the years go by. It’s not rare to see people donning weed Halloween costumes or throwing herb-themed parties. To help you prepare for a marijuana-fueled Halloween, we’re going to teach you all about this spooky festival before offering some top strain and Halloween movie combinations to enjoy.

A Brief History of Halloween

What do you do every time October 31st swings around? If you’re among the more keen adherents of Halloween, you are likely to spend your time carving pumpkins, eating candy, and even dressing up. Even those who don’t go to these lengths often end up participating in one way or another, be that watching a scary movie or placing a skeleton or two on the front lawn. Halloween has become a huge festival across the world, from England and Italy to Mexico and Japan. But where exactly does this obscure celebration come from? And what does it have to do with smoking weed? Let’s dive into the answers to these questions, and more, below!

Where Does Halloween Come From?

Halloween spans far back into antiquity. The tradition dates back to an ancient Celtic festival by the name of Samhain. This new year celebration marked the end of summer, the harvest season, and the coming of the winter months. But what does this seasonal transition have to do with ghouls, goblins, and death?

Well, aside from the vegetative death that harvest and winter bring, the Celts believed that the veil between the realms of the living and the dead became much more permeable at this time, so much so that the dead would return and even visit their old abodes.

The Samhain festivals of old involved the slaughter of cattle and the offering of food for dead visitors. However, not all of these disembodied figures were deemed benevolent. To keep the bad spirits away, Celts traditionally dressed up in spooky attire and lit repelling bonfires.

Samhain originated in Celtic areas of Ireland, the United Kingdom, and France. However, the annual event became Christianised under certain popes. Among them, Pope Gregory III placed All Saint’s Day on November 1st and All Souls Day on November 2nd. The latter became known as All Hallows' Eve, and eventually by the name of Halloween.

How Has Halloween Evolved?

Halloween has come a long way from its ancient origins. The modern festival has departed both from the ancient pagan roots of Samhain and the old Christian tradition of the remembrance of saints and souls. Instead, contemporary Halloween, much like other annual festivals, has become largely secular and commercialised. While elements of the spiritual remain evident, marketing efforts have turned the day into a consumerist event that sees shoppers spend hundreds of millions in the United Kingdom alone.

Today, many see Halloween as an opportunity to participate in something fun and non-serious. Kids dress up as superheroes and knock on doors for candy, and many adults also wear spooky outfits and attend pubs, parties, and raves. Those who prefer the comfort of their couch and a joint over hectic events also eat their fair share of Halloween candy and tend to watch a scary movie or two.

Halloweed: How Are Halloween and Cannabis Linked?

So, how exactly are Halloween and weed related? And why should any cannabis user care about this time of year? Well, as mentioned above, the Celtic festival of Samhain has an important link to harvest time. The idea of a harvest festival might seem pretty unimportant to us modern humans, who simply derive our sustenance from supermarkets as opposed to working the fields. However, back then, a successful harvest meant surviving winter, and was, therefore, a pretty big deal!

While few of us are pulling in squashes, beans, and other bits of produce to store for the winter, many of us are harvesting weed plants and processing buds at this time of year. While no historical link exists between weed and Halloween, there’s certainly a modern association with the marijuana harvest!

On top of this convenient timing, the legalization of cannabis in many parts of the world has strengthened the association between weed and Halloween. Walk into any dispensary or coffeeshop at this time of year, and you’ll come across seasonal decorations, deals, and even Halloween-themed cannabis strains!

Also, as a candy-orientated day, it makes sense that many cannabis lovers prepare cannabis-infused gummies, chocolate, and other delights to chow down on on Halloween. Remember, if you’re making edibles, keep them well away from children and only give them to consenting fellow adults. Every year sees headlines of parents finding weed edibles in their children’s candy haul. Be responsible!

Best Strain and Movie Combinations on Halloween

So, how are you going to participate in Halloween as a weed lover? If you haven’t planned anything yet, then why not consider some of the pairings below? Scary movies are even more hair-raising after a joint or two!

Royal Gorilla & Halloween

If you’re looking for some Halloween cannabis fun, then you’ll get a buzz by blazing up some Royal Gorilla while watching the original Halloween (1978). This flick features a rampant murderer who escapes from a mental hospital to pay his hometown a visit. Sounds scary enough, right? Well, smoke up some Royal Gorilla to heighten your senses and become all the more invested in this twisted storyline. This powerhouse progeny of Sour Dubb, Chem Sis, and Chocolate Diesel boasts an insane THC content of 27%. It only takes a couple of hits to feel exceptionally elevated. Adding to her incredible potency, flavors of chocolate, pine, and diesel make every hit a treat.

Grow this potent masterpiece indoors and you’ll watch plants reach 90–160cm. Expect to harvest up to 550g/m² after a flowering time of 8–10 weeks. Outdoors, plants peak at 170cm and produce up to 600g/plant ready to harvest during October.

Royal Gorilla

Royal Gorilla

	Sour Dubb x Chem Sis x Chocolate Diesel
	18 to 19 oz/m²
	3 to 5 feet
	8 - 10 weeks
	THC: 27%

	Sativa 50% Indica 50%
	19 to 21 oz/plant
	4 to 6 feet
	Middle of October
	Calming, Clear

Buy Royal Gorilla

Cereal Milk & Scream

Everyone has at least heard of the movie Scream (1996). In fact, you’re almost guaranteed to see several people wearing the Scream mask when walking the streets on Halloween. This spooky film involves a knife-wielding, mask-wearing murder known as Ghostface who is intent on hunting down a group of terrified high school students. To make sure you stay focused and suitably scared while watching this flick, you’re going to want to pair it with Cereal Milk. This progeny of Y Life and Snowman serves up a THC content of 23% and rare but delicious tastes of vanilla. Expect a creative and long-lasting high ideal for when watching films.

If you decide to grow this variety, prepare to witness her flowers develop a striking purple hue during the blooming phase. Indoor plants grow to 80–140cm and produce up to 500g/m² when sufficiently illuminated. Outdoors, plants peak at 200cm and offer a return of 625–675g/plant.

Cereal Milk

Cereal Milk

	Y Life (Girl Scout Cookies x Cherry Pie) x Snowman
	16 to 19 oz/m²
	3 to 5 feet
	8 - 10 weeks
	THC: 23%

	Sativa 60% Indica 40%
	22 to 24 oz/plant
	5 to 7 feet
	October
	Creative, Focus , Long Lasting

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Royal Skywalker & A Nightmare on Elm Street

We’re not recommending one of the Star Wars movies here, but Royal Skywalker certainly pairs well with the classic that is A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984). Take a few puffs of this strain and you’ll see Freddy Krueger in a much more terrifying and entertaining light. Invite some friends over, get this film on, have plenty of Halloween candy to hand, and start passing that bong around. This indica-dominant offspring of Blueberry and Mazar will leave you feeling physically relaxed, clear-headed, and ready to get lost in a good film!

Low on space indoors? No worries! Royal Skywalker only grows to 130cm but still manages to churn out up to 600g/m². Outdoors, she peaks at 200cm and provides up to 600g/plant ready to harvest and process just in time for Halloween!

Royal Skywalker

Royal Skywalker

	Blueberry x Mazar
	19 to 21 oz/m²
	3 to 4 feet
	9 - 10 weeks
	THC: 25%

	Sativa 40% Indica 60%
	18 to 21 oz/plant
	5 to 7 feet
	October
	Clear, Physically Relaxing

Buy Royal Skywalker

Legendary OG Punch & Friday the 13th

Looking for a good Halloween weed strain? Well, you just found one of the best out there! Legendary OG Punch produces some of the best-looking flowers you’ll ever come across. Plus, she’ll make watching Friday the 13th (1980) for the tenth Halloween in a row quite bearable! Her THC content of 19% and stoning fruity terpenes will keep you fully engaged with the story as you watch the brutality within the summer camp setting unfold.

Apply LST to this strain, and you’ll keep her as low as 90cm indoors. Prepare to harvest and process up to 400g/m² after a flowering phase of 8–9 weeks. Outdoor plants grow much larger, to 220cm, and reward growers with up to 550g/plant ready to process during early October.

Legendary OG Punch

Legendary OG Punch

	Legend Og x Purple Punch
	12 to 14 oz/m²
	3 to 5 feet
	8 - 9 weeks
	THC: 19%

	Sativa 40% Indica 60%
	18 to 19 oz/plant
	6 to 7 feet
	Early October
	Calming, Clear

Buy Legendary OG Punch

Diesel Auto & Beetlejuice

We can’t talk about Halloween weed strains without giving Diesel Auto a mention. Why? Because this sativa-dominant hybrid serves up a moderate, beginner-friendly high that offers a euphoric experience with low chances of becoming overwhelmed. Her THC content of 14% and fruity terpenes deliver a clear-headed experience that makes this variety a good match for a Beetlejuice (1988) viewing. If you’re an experienced smoker, you can freely hit bowl after bowl without getting into too much trouble! If you’re blazing for the first time this Halloween, then take things low and slow to avoid getting too terrified.

As one of the stealthiest RQS strains, this variety grows to only 40–70cm indoors while providing up to 375g/m². Outdoor specimens peak at 110cm and, if well looked after, offer a return of 60–100g/plant. Prepare to harvest your flowers as quickly as 13 weeks after shoots emerge from the soil.

Diesel Auto

Diesel Auto

	Diesel x Ruderalis
	11 to 13 oz/m²
	1 to 2 feet
	8 - 10 weeks
	THC: 14%

	Sativa 40% Indica 30% Ruderalis 30%
	2 to 4 oz/plant
	2 to 4 feet
	13 to 14 weeks after sprouting
	Calming, Clear

Buy Diesel Auto

Enjoy Halloweed With These Excellent Strains

Happy Halloweed! You’re now all clued up about the origins of this spooky vacation and why it has some relevance to cannabis! On top of this, you now have a solid choice of activities for when this ghastly day swings around. So, which strain and film combination will you choose to get some scary vibes going?