From classics like The Green Mile and Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption to supernatural spookers like Carrie and The Shining, Stephen King has gifted the world with magnificent pieces of literature that feature surprising depth. If you’re thinking of picking up one of his works, here are some cannabis strains that pair well with some of our favorite stories from the King of Horror.
Cujo
You might remember this classic from 1981. Cujo, a sweet good-natured dog in the beginning of the story, gets bit on the nose by a rabid bat and ultimately transforms into a killing machine that tears into neighbors and police sheriffs indiscriminately. Like all of the entries on this list, Cujo was adapted into a movie in 1983.
Strain Pairing:Snoop’s Dream
Picking a strain to pair with this story proved difficult, but after some consideration, we had to choose one of our favorite dog-themed strains, Snoop Dream. Named after the hip-hop superstar, Snoop’s Dream is a mix of Blue Dream and Master Kush, making for medium-sized dense buds covered in orange hairs. The hybrid’s relaxing qualities would be the perfect mix to calm down a killer dog terrorizing a small town in Maine.
IT
Another Stephen King Horror novel, IT, published in 1986, follows the exploits of seven children as they are terrorized by the eponymous being, which exploits the fears and phobias of its victims in order to disguise itself while hunting its prey. Pennywise, the villain in the book, primarily appears in the form of a clown in the story, making this a truly riveting tale that was the best-selling book in the United States the year it came out.
Strain Pairing:Pennywise
Pairing this story with a cannabis strain was easy — we recommend Pennywise, which got its name from King’s book. Pennywise is a high-CBD indica cross between Harlequin and Jack the Ripper, a combination that lends this strain its killer clown name. The high CBD would help with any pain brought on by a psychopathic killer clown.
Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption (from Different Seasons)
My personal favorite Stephen King story, Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption, appears in his anthology Different Seasons, published in 1982. It was adapted for the big screen in 1994 as The Shawshank Redemption, one of the most critically acclaimed movies of all time. The story follows a man named Andy Dufrense, a banker from Maine, who was convicted for the double murder of his wife and her lover. The only problem? He didn’t commit the crimes. Dufresne spends nearly 30 years in prison before escaping through a tunnel he’d spent two decades digging with a rock hammer.
Strain Pairing:Star Killer
Star Killer is a solid pairing with Shawshank, as the dense, purple buds offer a sweet, lemon flavor and aid in treating pain, insomnia, and PTSD, among other things. It’s a good option for a person who just dug his way out of prison after spending nearly three decades there locked up.
The Shining
Published in 1977, Stephen King’s The Shining is still captivating audiences all around the world. The book was King’s first hardback bestseller, establishing himas a preeminent author in the horror genre. The Shining centers on the life of Jack Torrance, an aspiring writer and recovering alcoholic, who takes over the historic Overlook Hotel in the Colorado Rockies. His family joins him, including his young son Danny, who possesses “the shining,” an array of psychic abilities that allow him to see the hotel’s horrific past. While the family is holed up in the hotel for the winter, supernatural forces emerge and put the whole family in grave danger.
Strain Pairing:Jack Herer
We paired this story with Jack Herer, a sativa-dominant cannabis strain, as a nod to one of the famous lines from Stanley Kubrick’s film adaption of the novel, “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” With this strain, there will be no dullness in your life, that’s for sure.
The Green Mile
Last but certainly not least is the serial novel The Green Mile. Another one of my personal favorites, the story is about a death row supervisor’s encounter with John Coffey, an unusual inmate who displays inexplicable healing and empathetic abilities. Written in 1996, the book takes place in Louisiana in the early 1930s.
Strain Pairing:Supernatural
We paired it with the cannabis strain Supernatural, something that is very relatable to Mr. Coffey. The strain is a sativa-dominant blend that is a great indoor option, with a biting, skunky zest and uplifting sativa effects that will surely bring you supernatural powers.
