Watchdogs Say Hollywood Going to Pot

Production of cannabis-centric films is hitting a high, reports the Christian Science Monitor. Once pigeonholed with Cheech and Chong and low-budget cult films such as The Big Lebowski, movies that feature pot-smoking characters now tend toward mainstream frat-house humor. This summer alone will see four marijuana-tinged releases, including the Judd Apatow-produced Pineapple Express.

Though anti-drug advocates worry about a generational shift toward younger, herb-friendlier filmmakers, concerns that such films are mirroring a social trend may be overblown: Government stats show a modest drop in pot usage, especially among teens. (Read more marijuana stories.)