The article revisits the filming of the campfire scene in the 1969 counterculture road film *Easy Rider*, in which Jack Nicholson’s character tries cannabis for the first time. It says Nicholson used real marijuana to inform the performance, illustrating how the production’s drug use reflected the film’s portrayal of late-1960s counterculture.

Nicholson reportedly told *Time* in 1970 that he smoked about 155 joints while shooting the scene, describing the challenge of appearing sober before his character became intoxicated. Cinematographer László Kovács said Nicholson remained remarkably controlled and remembered his dialogue, while other accounts quoted in related coverage suggest the 155-joint total may have been exaggerated; Nicholson said he smoked nearly a joint for many takes and camera angles.