Some viewers of the original Scooby-Doo believed that Shaggy smoked marijuana due to his antics and constant hunger. In a Newsweek article, Casey Kasem was asked if he had ever observed that subtext in the series and Kasem responded that "there wasn't anything like that at all", explaining "guess it's because, I don't know, it was a wholesome show from beginning to end" and was not aware of the fan viewpoint until the interviewer brought it up. Parodying the subtext, the makers of Scooby-Doo film shot several scenes referring to Shaggy's supposed drug use, but few of those scenes were included in the final film product.[3] Matthew Lillard, the actor who portrays Shaggy in the film, does not think Shaggy smokes marijuana: "He just seems like that. He acts a little goofy and high, he's lovable and scared - and just happens to have the munchies."
In addition, in an online radio interview with host Stu Shostak, series creators Joe Ruby and Ken Spears recalled that they never intended for Shaggy to be a smoker of marijuana, and "took umbrage" to the inclusion of allusions to such in the 2002 Scooby-Doo live-action feature film.