When was the last time you got the giggles from cannabis? And I mean serious giggles. Like laugh so hard you fall on the floor giggles. Any pot smoker has countless stories about euphoric laughter bringing them to tears, and many times this happens while watching movies and television. After passing around a joint, putting on one of your favorite comedy flicks can make you laugh so hard you can barely breathe. Few things go better with cannabis than a good laugh. For actor, writer, and cannabis legend Seth Rogen, the ties are even more profound.
Seth Rogen is one of the most recognizable actors today and an unabashed supporter of cannabis use. Furthermore, many of Rogen’s movies center around his cannabis use, like the stoner comedy Pineapple Express. Rogen’s filmography has become legendary fodder for stoners with a funny bone, and along with his contributions to the cannabis community, Rogen’s status as a cannabis legend is undeniable.
How did Rogen become an acclaimed actor and more associated with cannabis than almost any other person on the planet? To answer that question, we have to start at the beginning.
Early Life
Many might be unaware that Seth Rogen is Canadian, as he was born in Vancouver in 1982. However, many likely know about Rogen’s Jewish heritage. His parents, Sandy Belogus and Mark Rogen, originally met in Israel before settling in Canada, so Rogen was surrounded by the Jewish faith during his formative years.
Rogen attended a Jewish elementary school and went to a Jewish-based summer camp. The experiences he had here played a part in developing his comedic style, as he commonly inserted his peers into his writing. Even from the young age of 12, Rogen knew he wanted to be a comedian. Rogen enrolled in a comedy workshop and began performing sets around town at parties, bar mitzvahs, and bars. During this time, he met his lifelong friend and collaborator, Evan Goldberg. At just 13 years of age, Rogen and Goldberg penned a rough draft for a movie called Superbad, which they would polish throughout high school.
Rogen’s comedy talents continued to grow as he began performing regularly at comedy clubs in the Vancouver area. However, his family fell on tough times. His parents lost their jobs, and they relocated. Then, Rogen got some good news, a local casting call resulted in him getting a part in the show Freaks and Geeks. The casting resulted in the Rogens leaving Vancouver for Los Angeles, Seth dropping out of school at 16, and his job becoming the primary source of income for the family. Although Rogen was all about making people laugh, the stakes of his performances were very serious as he started his acting career.
Acting and Comedy Career
Freaks and Geeks premiered on NBC to stellar reviews but was the lowest-rated program on the channel. The low ratings resulted in the show’s cancellation after one season. However, Rogen stayed very close with the show’s mastermind, Judd Apatow. 
Apatow was in a similar situation to Rogen, an unproven talent waiting for the right situation. Rogen became a part of Apatow’s group of close friends dubbed the “frat pack,” which also consisted of comedic talents Steve Carrell and Paul Rudd. Apatow constantly had writing challenges for Rogen and his friend Evan Goldberg, such as writing an entire script for a movie in 10 days. Rogen sharpened his writing and acting skills and was a crucial part of Apatow’s breakthrough film, The 40-Year-Old Virgin. The box office smash would launch both Apatow and Rogen’s big-time careers.
The next step for Rogen was performing as a leading man, which he did in the Judd Apatow film Knocked Up. Rogen’s relatable performance as a stoner caught in a pickle after a one-night stand that results in a pregnancy earned praise from critics and propelled the film to a strong showing at the box office. Rogen was officially a comedy superstar.
Seth Rogen went on to star in countless films over the next several years, such as the stoner classic Pineapple Express and superhero flick The Green Hornet. Incredibly, the movie he and Goldberg wrote in high school, Superbad, became a huge hit as well. Rogen and Goldberg went on to direct their own films like This is the End and The Interview. Today, Rogen consistently acts, writes, directs, performs voice work, and spearheads documentary films. Throughout his prolific career, Seth Rogen has never been far from cannabis.
Seth Rogen and Cannabis
In a 2023 interview, Rogen said, “I smoke weed all day, every single day, since I was 20 years old maybe.” Rogen’s prolific career in this time rebuffs the lazy stoner stereotype. If anything, Rogen believes cannabis makes him more productive, saying cannabis makes life “more comfortable [and] more palatable.”
Rogen begins his mornings with a cup of coffee and a joint. He uses cannabis throughout the day and even admits that he will wake up during restless nights and have a few hits before returning to bed. Even for the most dedicated stoners, Rogen’s routine would have most people tapping out after a few days. Furthermore, Rogen uses this incredible amount of cannabis while acting, writing, and directing. Essentially, whenever you see Rogen on screen, he is stoned.
Rogen also plays the role of an activist in the cannabis community. Rogen commonly lobbies for legal marijuana in the United States and enjoys its legal status in Canada. Also, Rogen’s artistic contributions to the cannabis community stretch further than his stoner films. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Rogen began to sculpt ceramics. Although he has created a wide array of artworks, one of Rogen’s favorite functional pieces to sculpt are ashtrays. Many of these colorful and working art pieces adorn Rogen’s home. Furthermore, Rogen’s designs are also available to the public, as his company mass produces his designs. The next time you watch one of Rogen’s movies with a joint in hand and a smile on your face, know that if you are looking for a place to ash your joint, Rogen’s got you covered there too.