# Are "cross joints" real? (as seen in "Pineapple Express") **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 7, 2008, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-cross-joints-real-as-seen-in-pineapple-express/462506 "2008-09-07T17:53:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2008, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-cross-joints-real-as-seen-in-pineapple-express/462506/1 "2008-09-07T17:53:03Z")
In the movie _Pineapple Express_, There’s a scene where James Franco (playing a pot dealer) introduces Seth Rogan to smoking weed through a “cross joint” which has the appearance of one joint with another sort of intesecting through the top to form the shape of a cross. This left three lightable ends which were to be sparked simultaneously and provide “a trifecta of joint smoking power.” Is this is a real innovation in doobie engineering or was it just made up as a sight gag for he movie? If it’s real, does it really work better or have any significant smoking advantage over a real joint? I ask out of curiosity only. ---
**Author:** ![Influential\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Influential\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Influential_Panda)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2008, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-cross-joints-real-as-seen-in-pineapple-express/462506/2 "2008-09-07T18:48:35Z")
I was wondering where that trend came from. I quit smoking some time ago, but out of nowhere a _lot_ of my friends were rolling these goofy little “cross joints” and swearing that it gets you twice as high. So, maybe? The stoners are convinced, for what it’s worth. ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2008, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-cross-joints-real-as-seen-in-pineapple-express/462506/3 "2008-09-07T19:15:14Z")
A little off-topic, but it makes me think of the [tri-broom](http://www.gocomics.com/feature_items/explore?page=1&tag=14583&tag_name=triboom). 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2008, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-cross-joints-real-as-seen-in-pineapple-express/462506/4 "2008-09-07T19:18:28Z")
Since I’m not a user, I have no idea how accurate this is. [http://www.weedfarmer.com/joint\_rolling/index.htm](http://www.weedfarmer.com/joint_rolling/index.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2008, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-cross-joints-real-as-seen-in-pineapple-express/462506/5 "2008-09-07T19:18:40Z")
I’ve never heard of it, but youtube offers video instruction on how to roll one. I’m guessing these videos are inspired by the movie (although I’ve never seen the movie myself), and I don’t really know how this is supposed to enhance the smoking effect. There are plenty of ways to get lots of smoke to inhale without this goofy innovation. ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2008, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-cross-joints-real-as-seen-in-pineapple-express/462506/6 "2008-09-07T19:50:40Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > Since I’m not a user, I have no idea how accurate this is. > > [http://www.weedfarmer.com/joint\_rolling/index.htm](http://www.weedfarmer.com/joint_rolling/index.htm) Just looking at the pictures, _the diamond_ and _the windmill_ are kind of cool. ---
**Author:** ![Jurph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/50afbb/32.png) [@Jurph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jurph)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2008, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-cross-joints-real-as-seen-in-pineapple-express/462506/7 "2008-09-07T21:12:36Z")
[This interview](http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=93092905) with Seth Rogan, from NPR’s _Fresh Air_, has a few questions about the movie including a two or three question exchange about the cross joint. If I remember his answer it was that he did not make it up, but that it is a stupid and useless waste of pot. Then he goes on to reveal the trick of constructing one, which I forget, but it involves assembling it in an order that seemed counterintuitive. I know the answer’s in there; I’d listen again but Rogan really gets on my nerves (I think he’s fantastically unfunny) so if you’re dying for the answer you’ll have to meet me halfway. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2008, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-cross-joints-real-as-seen-in-pineapple-express/462506/8 "2008-09-08T01:01:56Z")
> [@Jurph](#): > > …Then he goes on to reveal the trick of constructing one, which I forget, but it involves assembling it in an order that seemed counterintuitive. .. The trick is to poke a hole in the cross-wise joint. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2008, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-cross-joints-real-as-seen-in-pineapple-express/462506/9 "2008-09-08T01:11:45Z")
The incoming air would simply split pretty much evenly between the three lit ends. The net effect would be no different than a regular fat joint. Peace, (kaf kaf) mangeorge