Ghostly Ganja: Twelve Weed Strains for Halloween Lovers

Whether you’re toking up before eating your children’s candy, getting high to inspire some jack-o’-lantern creativity or enhancing the visual aspects of Halloween stoner flicks, you’ll find that cannabis can come in handy during Halloween season. And, as with pumpkin beers and witches’ brew, there are plenty of scary strains to heighten the spirit.

Below are twelve Halloween-friendly strains we’ve recently reviewed, all of which are routinely available in the Denver area. This ghastly mix will have you coughing at the moon in no time.

Frankenberry
Not only does Frankenberry ramp up the ghoulish effects a notch as you puff a joint and watch Michael Myers get back up for the tenth time, but it also takes you back to mornings before school, eating a bowl of the strawberry-marshmallow cereal – and so does the strain’s cake-y, berry flavor. Frankenberry is a little harder to find than it used to be, but typically rises from the dead in Denver more than once a year.

Devil Driver
This daytime variety is the parent of Dante’s Inferno, a popular strain in Colorado dispensaries. This fall could be all about Devil Driver, though, as an increasing amount of growers and extractors have taken interest. The hybrid of Sundae Driver and Melonade has a cherry- and melon-forward flavor, which is both creamy and sour, and the high can be similarly refreshing after a long walk or exercise. I’ve also had a few sessions that left me wide-eyed and freaked out, however, so take it easy with this sinfully sweet smoke, or you’ll be facing the “sativa scaries” in no time – but maybe that’s what you want this time of year.

Witches Weed
A hybrid of Chemdawg D, Cinderella 99, OG Kush and San Fernando Valley OG, Witches Weed certainly sounds like it was brewed up in a cauldron, and its funky high is almost supernatural. Some people don’t like the unpredictable high, but most tokers don’t have a tolerance level high enough to notice the differences. I compare its effects to a weed salad: mixing a handful of different strains together for one sweet mindfuck. But what Witches Weed lacks in consistency, it makes up for in flavor.

Rotten Rozay
Rotten Rozay is a hybrid of GMO and Rozay, which is part of the Zkittlez family tree. That doesn’t sound like a combination made for flavor, but neither do half of the craft cocktails that knock my socks off, and Rotten Rozay’s funky blend of stone fruit and spice really hits. The high makes my eyes puffy no matter how many drops I put in, and exercise is never on the schedule, but books are read, recipes are followed and emails are answered, all with relief for aching joints. Keep the mind occupied and a glass of water nearby, and Rotten Rozay is equally fun and therapeutic. Smoke it alone late at night, though, and your mind might wander into scary places.

Ghost OG
Ghost OG won’t rip you apart immediately, delivering a body high with strong accompanying focus instead. Euphoric effects on the mind peak about twenty or thirty minutes later, just about the time that body high turns into an epic case of the munchies, whether you last ate five minutes or five hours ago. Medical benefits include treating anxiety, pain, inflammation, headaches, glaucoma, eating disorders and exhaustion.

Marshmallow OG
Camping is coming to an end, but you can still get toasty with Marshmallow OG this fall. The mix of Chemdog D, Jet Fuel Gelato and Triangle Kush carries sharp notes of honey and mellow hints of vanilla, creating a sweet, creamy chaser for the heavy gas up front. The effects leave me more engaged in conversation and activities, but with a mellow disposition. Extremely effective at making my stomach growl, the high is never disorienting, and always allows me a couple of hours of focus and motivation before putting me out for good. After a joint of Marshmallow OG, you can easily go for a walk, pick up some junk food and then begin a Halloween movie marathon. The strain is grown by 710 Labs, Cherry and Natty Rems, among others.

Astronaut Status
Astronauts are classic Halloween costumes that don’t get enough shine anymore, but explorers of the cosmos still get love in the cannabis world. Makes sense — I’ve been going to the moon on a nightly basis thanks to weed — and the latest popular spaceman spliffs are filled with Astronaut Status. This local creation from Clearwater Genetics combines Zero Gravity and Maitai genetics for a daytime-leaning high and intoxicating, gassy aroma. Time to throw on a space horror, like Alien or Event Horizon, and get floaty.

Screaming OG
It’s hard to scream as you’re hacking up a lung from an overzealous bong hit, which is what I found myself doing three or four times with Screaming OG. Heavy on earthy, piney flavors with a lemon-cleaner-like endnote, Screaming OG  is great for melting into the couch as Ghost Face, Michael Myers or the Leprechaun kill another batch of horny dipshits. I’ve only seen Green Dot Labs and Silver Stem growing it, but those brands are easy enough to find in Colorado. 

Fatso
Everyone loves Casper, but I’m more particular to his uncle, Fatso, and the strain bearing the same name. Reserved purely for after-hours, Fatso is one of the most effective sedatives I’ve had in a long time. Stupid enough to test the hype, I tried it for the first time before lunch. After a very brief period of euphoric curiosity, I was asleep inside of three hours – and this was on the heels of a full night’s sleep and post-lunch espresso. Don’t make the mistake of smoking Fatso before your PJs are on, or it’ll weigh you down until your limbs are mush.

OG Lime Killer
Being surprised at a creeping high coming from a strain named OG Lime Killer is like expecting the Notorious B.I.G. to wear a medium, yet that’s where I found myself on a recent evening. OG Lime Killer is generally labeled a daytime or “sativa” strain at dispensaries, but its potent high tends to get under my eyes, making me spacey and tired in less than an hour if I smoke more than a bowl. The effects mount for at least ten minutes after a session but can become relatively productive and easy between the ears if smoked in smaller, spaced amounts.

Ghost Train Haze
A true hometown success story, Ghost Train Haze #1 was bred by Denver-based Rare Dankness from Ghost OG and Nevil’s Wreck (another Rare Dankness strain) genetics. This locomotive delivers effects similar to those of other daytime heavyweights, bringing shots of energy and a case of the munchies, but possible paranoia, too. Creatives use it in low doses for an inspirational rush, but keep your notepad handy, because you’re likely to forget those costume and jack-o’-lantern ideas.

Ecto-Cooler
My favorite strain names take me back to childhood or otherwise tap into nostalgia, like Bruce Banner, Duke Nukem and Smurfette, all of which are actual names of pot. So imagine my joy last year when I came across Ecto-Cooler, a strain named after the Ghostbusters-themed Hi-C drink in the ’90s made to turn from orange to green in honor of Slimer, the movie’s fat, lovable undead ball of ectoplasm. A prime strain for daytime use, after-work fun or entertaining the after-party, Ecto-Cooler’s energetic effects can relax the body’s daily aches and pains, providing euphoria without making the mind think too much.