The comedy, starring Seth Rogen and James Franco, has made more than $84 million since opening in theaters Aug. 6. It’s already the highest-grossing “stoner movie” of all time.

“Out of the top 40 movies in the list I averaged, the middle is about $23 million per movie at the box office,” said Steve Bloom, publisher of CelebStoner.com and former editor of High Times, a magazine for marijuana aficionados.

“With ‘Pineapple Express’ we are seeing something we’ve never really seen before,” he said. “It’s crushed the previous records.”

Because more people saw “Pineapple Express” in theaters than any other stoner movie, Bloom said that’s evidence more people are smoking marijuana than ever.

“More and more people are accepting it as a part of life and something people are going to do,” he said. “It’s hard to use the argument that marijuana is harmful and terrible for you. All those old arguments that pot is bad for you are gone by the wayside.”

Jon Conte, a construction management senior, said increased presence of medical marijuana and a general sense of awareness of the drug’s effects have made social smoking more acceptable.

“Society in general is changing — you can say we’re becoming more liberal with time,” Conte said. “People used to have the concept of it being a gateway drug. I think more college students are experimenting with it and realizing it’s not as evil as it’s been made out by the media.”

Conte said although some students are against marijuana and others are for it, most students are indifferent.

“They say people have the right to do what they want with their body,” he said. “If they want to smoke they can smoke. If not, it’s their choice.”

Bloom said the resurgence of the stoner movie began in the early ’90s and has exploded in the past eight years.

Although the ’70s were ripe for stoner comedies, aside from Cheech and Chong movies, the genre struggled in the ’80s.

“The ’60s was the beginning of the marijuana culture, and the ’70s was that extension, so of course it was reflected in popular entertainment,” Bloom said. “By the late ’70s (society) was starting toward a negative approach. The drug war kicked off in the (Ronald Reagan) era … they were swimming upstream, against the tide.”

Bloom said it’s only natural that Hollywood reflects culture.

“In the ’80s marijuana use went downhill in overall smoking in the country,” he said. “The laws got stricter and the ‘Just Say No’ period had an impact, and for whatever reason, the drug of choice was cocaine rather than marijuana.”

The ’90s, which had President Clinton at the helm of the country for eight years, made for a more relaxed period, he said, and films like “Dazed and Confused,” “Friday” and “Half Baked” found success on the home video market.

One anti-drug organizer, Henry Hall, director of Students Against Drugs and Alcohol, or SADA, said he’s worried the effects of these movies on the younger generation.

“Kids in the fifth and sixth grade see that stuff on things like MTV, take it to high school and then go to college and take it there,” he said. “With access to computers, mom and dad aren’t around, all you have to do is push the button and you have access to all sorts of things.”

Hall said that unless Hollywood takes responsibility, the only option is to have parents educate their kids.

“You don’t need your kids to go see trash like that,” he said.

Construction management freshman Tim Malburg said he thought “Pineapple Express” could be a negative influence on kids, but that didn’t stop him from bringing his 14-year-old and 16-year-old brothers.

“I kind of worry about (what they watch), but I brought them just because it looked like a good movie,” Malburg said. “I don’t really know if there is any way to stop kids from seeing it.”

Malburg said he didn’t think any college students would be influenced by marijuana in movies.

“Older people that already smoke are going to do it anyway, and those that don’t won’t start,” he said.

Conte said he’s never heard anyone seeing a stoner movie and express an interest to start smoking.

“The media is powerful, but then again nobody can make you do anything but yourself,” he said. “That choice has to come from inside you … even back to DARE programs and peer pressure, you’re the one who has the final choice.”

His sentiments were echoed by communication junior Ferrin Lamont, who said she enjoys the movies but wouldn’t smoke.

“It’s not for me,” Lamont said. “I think those movies are more for entertainment than to push for some message.”

Chad Hartigan, Exhibitor Relations box-office analyst, said the success of “Pineapple Express” and movies like “Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay,” which also was released this year, means more stoner movies will be in the works.

“The only thing that really makes a difference in Hollywood is money,” Hartigan said. “Money talks, and if a movie makes money then people start to look at what it is about the film and try to duplicate it.”

But although both films made money, Hartigan said it doesn’t mean more people are using marijuana, and studios still aren’t at the point where they’re going to take big market risks.

“Pineapple Express” had a budget of $25 million, although Rogen was hoping to get $40 million for better action sequences, he said.

“Even though marijuana is not taboo in Hollywood, a lot of people have problems with it. Hollywood knows just by having a movie about (marijuana), it does limit their audience,” he said. “There’s only so high those films can go, no pun intended.”

Bloom said he suspects the future of stoner movies to be more action-adventure, like the “Harold & Kumar” movies and “Pineapple Express” versus more skit-oriented comedies like the Cheech and Chong movies.

“Hollywood loves to repeat a successful formula,” he said. “You still have the buddy element to hold (the story) together. Maybe you’ll see women involved, there’s always a shortage of good female characters.

“Either way, I think the stoner comedy genre is in a really good place right now, and I’m excited for the future.”