While it could be easy to get overwhelmed by all of the events going on during Art Basel, it was a no-brainer to clear my schedule for a night out at SkateBird, who converted their skatepark into a full-blown concert venue featuring performances from none other than The Yutes and stoner rap legend Curren$y—courtesy of Clockwork Music. I knew that this was my chance to link up with The Yutes and get them really really high. 

On my way out of town, I wanted to make sure I had some official New York pack on me, so I stopped by The Astor Club and grabbed a few 8ths of the Sour Power for me, and a couple Sheist Bubz to gift to The Yutes. I also snatched a Punch Bar for my flight. After consuming a combination of my goodies, I arrived at the airport feeling like I could float to Florida without the plane. 

Somehow, I made it to Miami and the mission was to head straight to the show. I arrived, rolled up some of the Sour Power, and proceeded to find The Yutes and hand over the packs I brought them. We chopped it up, then immediately started to Chong out in their green room. Upon venturing out, we realized that there was a whole other cannabis pop-up event upstairs at SkateBird called Terp Basel. Cookies was in the building; they now have a location in Miami and it’s cool to see them support events like these. My New York homies, 167 Exotics, were there and they hooked us up with some with some powerful Cherry Poppers buds. We also ran into the TerpHogz gang and they let us try two new strains from their latest pheno hunt: Lava Cake X Zkittlez and Hindu Zkittlez x Papaya x Zkittlez #28. Eventually, it was show time. The Yutes had a tremendous performance, gracing the stage alongside Smoke DZA and Curren$y. After the crowd was rocked to its fullest potential, we ended the night smoking some more astounding weed and declared it a successful evening.

Things went so well that we cliqued up the next day and hit the Basel streets together to stop by various events. We pulled up to Coi Leray’s event, launching her new strain with TheTenCo, which was great because we were blessed to obtain a few packs of that delicious Pink Zushie. The rest of the day was spent at an indoor/outdoor arcade venue called FunDimension where an event called Dab Day: Art Basel Edition was held by Dab Day Productions.

As you may assume from the name, it was certainly a terpy affair, filled with hundreds of Art Basel-goers ripping dabs, playing arcade games, and congregating over the love of cannabis. Of course we did even more smoking there: endless pre-rolls from the homies at Blazy Susan, some more fire from Buddys Bodega, and ran into Shaggy Brown with that extremely potent Shaggy OG (which is not to be slept on unless sleeping is a goal). 

Casa De Cristal, the headiest location for functional glass art in Miami, had a full-blown pop up with super rare pieces from the likes of Mothership Glass and Toro. This was where Tris took his first dab ever in life, using a Puffco Proxy. Later on, I had the honor of introducing them to one of my cannabis heroes, Richard “Uncle Rick” DeLisi. Rick, who runs his own family cannabis business called DeLisioso, blessed them with some wisdom and some merch from their booth.

As this night was coming to a close, it was time to hydrate, eat, and recharge, because at some point in my haze I needed to ask some burning questions to my new stoner pals.

High Times: I saw Curren$y really embrace you guys. He mentioned wanting to work again. What can you tell us about your song with him?

Chris: Making “High Grade” with Curren$y was an amazing feeling. It’s a stoner song. We live that everyday, so it was only right we tap in. Reggae is also something that we’re interested in because we come from Jamaica. We made a dope vibe and Curren$y added his flame to it. Plus he rapped a different style on it—definitely one of my favorites. 

HT: Do you remember how you were turned on to him as a fan? 

Tris: When we was 13 or 14, Wiz [Khalifa] put out a video for a Waka Flocka freestyle, called “Reefer Party.” We was tuned into Wiz because he was poppin’ out there, you know, with “Black and Yellow” and all that. Wiz was just going so hard in that video… smoke everywhere and everything. So Curren$y was not on that song, but he was in the video, and so was Nipsey Hussle. There were a lot of cameos, and us being students of the culture, we just soaked it all up. Listening to Wiz put us on to all of that.

HT: What was it like to attend a pure Cannabis event like Dab Day? 

Chris: Being able to smoke so free and open like that was an experience for us. 

Tris: Whole event was crazy. We grew up with cannabis getting so much bad publicity—a lot of people in jail for the wrong reasons. Just the fact that we are at this point, where events like this exist, is beautiful. 

Chris: I was stoned as fuck, that’s why I missed out when Tris took a dab. I’m still mad about that!

HT: What about meeting Rick DeLisi? 

Chris: Uncle Rick is a very intriguing and interesting person.

Tris: Everyone needs to read up on Uncle Rick’s story. But basically he was a cannabis smuggler who just got out of prison after 32 years. That is longer than both of us have been alive. It is great that he is free and happy, and smoking big.

HT: With Mr. Lexx being your father, has cannabis always been a part of your life? 

Chris: Yes, having a father in the music industry, he would always have his joints around. He would hide it from us, but we knew what it was. We figured out that it was a part of the music and his way of creating. 

Tris: And not just the weed, we found his whole lifestyle inspiring: the way he would interact with other artists, be in the studio and go to events, really made us want to go for it. He wasn’t always there, but when we do get to link it’s always an unforgettable experience.

The post Smoking Through Art Basel Featuring The Yutes appeared first on High Times.

This year, we’re upgrading the categories in the High Times Hemp Cup by welcoming three legal psychoactive groups that will make the selection of offerings even more irresistible.

COMPETITION CATEGORIES:
(LIMITED SLOTS AVAILABLE PER CATEGORY, WITH A MAXIMUM OF 3 ENTRIES PER COMPANY PER CATEGORY)

Hemp-Derived CBD Edibles: Gummies & Fruit Chews (NON-PSYCHOACTIVE ONLY) 
Hemp-Derived CBD Edibles: Non-Gummies (NON-PSYCHOACTIVE ONLY) (No Liquids above 1 FL OZ allowed)
Hemp-Derived CBD Tinctures + Capsules (NON-PSYCHOACTIVE ONLY) (No Liquids above 1 FL OZ allowed)
Hemp-Derived CBD Topicals (NON-PSYCHOACTIVE ONLY)
Hemp-Derived CBD Flower and Pre-Rolls (NON-PSYCHOACTIVE ONLY)
Hemp-Derived CBD Concentrates and Vape Pens (NON-PSYCHOACTIVE ONLY)
Hemp-Derived CBD Pet Products (NON-PSYCHOACTIVE ONLY)
Legal Psychoactive Flower and Pre-Rolls (D8, D10, HHC, THCO, THCV, etc)
Legal Psychoactive Concentrates and Vape Pens (D8, D10, HHC, THCO, THCV, etc)
Legal Psychoactive Edible: Gummies  (D8, D10, HHC, THCO, THCV, etc)
Legal Psychoactive Edible: Non-Gummies (D8, D10, HHC, THCO, THCV, etc)(No Liquids above 1 FL OZ allowed)
*NON-PSYCHOACTIVE IS DEFINED AS CBD, CBG, CBN PRODUCTS ONLY

A competition of this magnitude takes some serious coordination, and the sheer amount of interest means that we’re planning this competition months in advance. As such, the following deadlines are subject to change, but here’s the deal:

Competitors will have between Jan. 30, 2023-Feb. 3, 2023 to submit their products for consideration. After that, judge kits will go on sale starting on Feb. 10. Unlike our market-specific competitions, the Hemp Cup kits will be available for online ordering in every state. Judges will have two months (between Feb. 10-April 2) to explore the wide variety of products they receive. We tally the scores and celebrate another successful High Times Hemp Cup: People’s Choice Edition on April 16—just in time for 4/20!

There are a few things that potential competitors should know. First, slots are limited. With a pool of products coming from all 50 states, it’s best to get your stuff submitted soon if you want to be considered. Second, there’s a cap of two entries per company, per category. Third, for each entry you must submit 80 samples of the same sku. Also, note that flower and pre-roll submissions should be limited to 3.5 grams maximum, and 3 grams maximum for concentrates and vape pens (anything submitted with more will not be accepted). Those are some of the important components to qualify, but we’ll send more info after you’ve been confirmed for participation.

While there is a $500 non-refundable deposit for each entry, we are offering a deal with submissions: If you submit three to four entries, you get one more free. Submit five to seven, get two more free, etc. If you have any questions about this, check out cannabiscup.com. 

In the past, participants have extended some of the best hemp products in the nation—showing the rest of the world how it’s done. Originally we announced our first High Times People’s Choice Hemp Cup in December 2020, with winners announced in May 2021. Among the best were brands such as Grön, Myriam’s, Drip CBD, Hometown Hero, Windy Hill Hemp Co., and many more.

Winners of the Hemp Cup: People’s Choice 2022 were equally extraordinary, with winners coming from brands such as Sweet Sensi, 3Chi, Rove Remedies, Buddy’s Chocolate Haus, Horn Creek Hemp, and even Martha Stewart.

What will 2023 have in store for us this time around? Who will be honored as one of the nation’s next best brands in hemp? Will our new “legal psychoactive” categories impress the judges? Only time will tell.

A big thank you to our sponsors!

The Hemp Doctor – Presenting Sponsor

Indacloud – Silver Sponsor

CannaAid – Bronze Sponsor

The post Announcing the Highly Anticipated High Times Hemp Cup: People’s Choice Edition 2023 appeared first on High Times.

Voters in Massachusetts passed adult-use cannabis in 2016, and sales began two years later in 2018. Since then, this small but mighty state that is known for being the home of the pilgrims who arrived on the Mayflower way back in the 17th century, among other things. Hundreds of years later, the commonwealth of Massachusetts has become a bustling cannabis market filled with potential. A recent report found that cannabis is the sixth most valuable crop in the U.S, and is believed to also be the number one agricultural crop in Alaska, Massachusetts, and New Jersey.

When sales began in Massachusetts, there were only two licensed retailers. By October 2020, the state had over 80 operating stores, and had collected more than $1 billion in sales and $170 million in tax revenue.

If that data isn’t enough to impress, then we urge you to explore the official winners of the High Times Cannabis Cup Massachusetts: People’s Choice Edition 2022 for yourselves. We announced this cup back in July, and a wide variety of up-and-coming cannabis brands came up to the plate. Everything from delicious edibles, vapes, concentrates, and of course, strains, these winners were chosen by the people—and they’re absolutely worth checking out.

Topicals + Tinctures + Capsules

First Place: Treeworks – Blueberry Entourage Jungle Drops

Second Place: The Fix – Cooling 1:1 Balm

Third Place: The Pass – Muscle Gel

Beverages

First Place: Happy Valley – Raspberry Lemonade X-Cell Nano Stir Stix

Second Place: Vibations – Pomegranate Blueberry Acai Energizing Drink Mix

Third Place: Wynk – Juicy Mango Seltzer

Chocolate Non-Gummies

First Place: Munchèas by GGG – Chocolate Macarons

Second Place: Insa – Double Caramel Sea Salt

Third Place: Meltdown – Key Lime Pie Chocolate Bar

Fruity Non-Gummies

First Place: Smokiez – Sour Watermelon Fruit Chews

Second Place: Munchèas by GGG – Infused Honey Sticks

Third Place: Hi-Burst – Raspberry Lemonade Fruit Chews

Indica Gummies

First Place: incredibles – Snoozzzeberry Indica Gummies

Second Place: Cannatini – Sour Grape Sangria Indica RSO Gummies

Third Place: Kanha – Passionfruit Paradise Indica Gummies

Sativa Gummies

First Place: Happy Valley – Strawberry Lemonade X-Cell Sativa Gummies

Second Place: Hashables – Watermelon Jolt Solventless Infused Sativa Bites

Third Place: Treeworks – Focus Citrus Sativa Hummies

Non-Distillate Vapes

First Place: Sticky Fish – Golden Bough Live Resin Vape

Second Place: Origyn – MAC1 Live Rosin Vape

Third Place: Treeworks x 253 – Cake Crasher Live Rosin Vape

Distillate Vapes

First Place: Church x Pressure Pack – Super Pure Runtz Vape

Second Place: Fernway – Berry Haze Vape

Third Place: Rove – Skywalker Vape

Concentrates

First Place: Treeworks x Smash Hits – California Raisins Live Rosin

Second Place: Happy Valley – White Wedding Live Hash Rosin

Third Place: Garden Remedies – Apple Kugel Live Rosin

Pre-Rolls

First Place: Triple M – Triple Monster Infused Pre-Roll

Second Place: Southie Adams – Sundaze Dr. Lime #10 Infused Blunt

Third Place: Happy Valley – End Game Cookies Pre-Roll

Hybrid Flower

First Place: Happy Valley – End Game Cookies

Second Place: NETA – Animal Zkittlez

Third Place: RYTHM – Afternoon Delight #4

Sativa Flower

First Place: Happy Valley – Super Lemon Haze

Second Place: Bailey’s Buds – Liberty Haze

Third Place: Nature’s Heritage – Guicy Banger

Indica Flower

First Place: Northeast Alternatives – Runtz OG

Second Place: RYTHM – Animal Face

Third Place: Cloud Cover – Katsu Bubba

A special shout out to our partners and sponsors!

NETA – Official Intake Partner

AYR Wellness – Presenting Sponsor

Green Gold Group – Silver Sponsor

Happy Valley – Bronze Sponsor

Coast Cannabis Co. – General Sponsor

Berkshire Roots – General Sponsor

The post The Winners of the High Times Cannabis Cup Massachusetts: People’s Choice Edition 2022 appeared first on High Times.

Billed as “the most anticipated after party during MJBizCon week,” the High Times Biz Bash 4.0 is sponsored by Zig-Zag, the iconic rolling paper brand that has helped stoners stay high for decades. The event will feature a brand activation by LED grow light leader Spectrum King and a special welcome by UltraTrimmer, a manufacturer of state-of-the-art bud trimmers for commercial cannabis growers.

High Times plans to pack the Brooklyn Bowl with fun for the anticipated 1,500 party-goers, who are promised a night of networking, bowling, and musical performances. Mark Kazinec, High Times director of competitions and events, said that this year’s event will be one of the highlights of the cannabis industry’s annual gathering in Las Vegas.

“We’re thrilled to bring back the High Times Biz Bash as an official afterparty of MJ Biz Con. We have Method Man & Redman performing which will fill our event with cannabis enthusiasts from all walks of life to bowl, eat, drink and be merry,” said Kazinec. “We’ll find top cannabis executives, retail buyers, brand marketers, and the heady crowd that’s sure to be rolling up donuts outside. We always fill up the venue, so get yourself a guaranteed bowling lane or get there early, otherwise stand outside wishing you did!”

MJBizCon is the cannabis industry’s premier trade show, bringing together brands, professionals, investors, and other members of the cannabis industry each year just steps away from the infamous Las Vegas Strip. This year’s conference includes a keynote address from hip hop icon and cannabis mogul Berner, co-founder and CEO of the Cookies cannabis and lifestyle brand. Chris Walsh, CEO of MJBiz, will also deliver his traditional “State of the Industry and Predictions for 2023” address on Wednesday, November 16. Other notable speakers for 2022’s event include Nancy Whiteman, co-founder and CEO of cannabis edibles company Wana Brands; Peter Caldini, CEO of Acreage Holdings; Toi Hutchinson, president and CEO of the Marijuana Policy Project; and Troy Datcher, CEO of The Parent Company.

“MJBizCon is a great place to collectively support each other and the industry as we look to brighter days ahead. We will capitalize on emerging opportunities, learn from new powerhouse states like New York and New Jersey, and build on momentum coming out of federal changes to come,” Walsh said in a statement on this year’s event. 

Founded in 1974, High Times has grown from an underground magazine exploring marijuana and its surrounding culture into a global brand with a leading print, digital, and multimedia presence in the evolving cannabis industry.

The High Times Biz Bash 4.0 will be held from 8:00 p.m. to midnight on Thursday, November 17 at the Brooklyn Bowl in The Linq Promenade, 3545 South Las Vegas Boulevard in Las Vegas. Tickets are available from Eventbrite. MJBizCon 2022 kicks off on Tuesday, November 15 and wraps up on Friday, November 18 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

The post High Times To Bring Biz Bash Back to Las Vegas for MJBizCon 2022 appeared first on High Times.

The competition was fierce, and we carefully calculated our most recent voting data to award points based on a number of important factors, including taste, smell, and effects. It’s a cannasseur’s dream to be able to experience such a wide variety of great products that Alaska has to offer, all in one place.

Now, the people have spoken once again! Check the results of the winners of the High Times Cannabis Cup Alaska: People’s Choice Edition 2022. Did your favorite product make the cut? Are you an out-of-towner looking to check out Alaska wares? From indica flower to pre-rolls, edibles, and so much more, we’re proud to present the latest winners of the High Times Cannabis People’s Choice competition.

Indica Flower

First Place: High North – Black Koffee

Second Place: Enlighten Gardens – OGKB 2.1

Third Place: Cannabaska – Ghost OG

Sativa Flower

First Place: AM Delight x Moose Gardens – Chem Dog

Second Place: Parallel 64 – Buddha

Third Place: High North – Blood Orange

Hybrid Flower

First Place: Flower Mountain Farms – Super Boof

Second Place: Cannabaska – Oreoz

Third Place: Good Cannabis – Gorilla Glue #4

Non-Infused Pre-Rolls

First Place: Good Cannabis – Blaze Orange King Pre-Roll

Second Place: Tanana Herb Co – Coco Haze Pre-Roll

Third Place: Enlighten Gardens – Tropicana Cherry Pre-Roll

Infused Pre-Rolls

First Place: Enlighten Extracts – The Ring of Fire Infused Pre-Roll

Second Place: Great Northern Cannabis – Critical Hit Infused Pre-Roll

Third Place: Einstein Labs – 10 Second Amnesia Caviar Joint

Concentrates & Extracts

First Place: Refine Alaska – Royal Gorilla Loud Resin

Second Place: AKO Farms – Yerbert x Rainbow Belts Sugar Wax

Third Place: G2 – Honey Banana Badder

Vape Pens & Cartridges

First Place: Einstein Labs – Obsession Distillate Vape

Second Place: Frog Mountain – Apple Sherbet E Sirius Pod

Third Place: Canamo – Fruity Pebbles OG Sauce E-Stick

Edibles: Gummies

First Place: Dosed Edibles Alaska – Watermelon Gummies

Second Place: Canamo – Sour Strawberry Gummies

Third Place: Stoney Moose Kitchens – Key Lime Gummy Squares

Edibles: Non-Gummies

First Place: Great Northern Cannabis – North Infusions Milk Chocolate Bar

Second Place: Stoney Moose Kitchens – Moose Nugz

Third Place: Enlighten Extracts – Chocolate Chip Cookie with Peanut Butter

A huge thank you to our partners and sponsors!

Enlighten Alaska – Official Intake and Retailer Partner

Raspberry Roots – Presenting Sponsor

Einstein Labs – Silver Sponsor

AM Delight – Bronze Sponsor

Green Growcer – General Sponsor

Top Hat Cannabis & Concentrates – General Sponsor

Secret Garden – General Sponsor

Great Northern Cannabis – General Sponsor

Cerberus Transecure – Exclusive Secure Transport Partner

Royal Supply Co. – Official Packaging Partner

The post The Winners of the High Times Cannabis Cup Alaska: People’s Choice Edition 2022 appeared first on High Times.

First off, Puffcon was a blast. I really believe this is the best event doing it right now. While I tried to go incognito to this one and trip out off the radar, this event is so packed with homies that I couldn’t walk 5 feet without running into one of the gang. Not to mention all the vendors and entertainers that come out for Puffco’s flagship celebration are incredible, so the whole event feels like the best sort of family reunion. In fact, given how quickly everything is happening right now it feels weird to think that that was only the second one – it could’ve been a ten year reunion. I hear rumblings they’re going to go even bigger for the next one, so if you’ve been sleeping so far please hear me: not all events are made the same, and you will likely be far less stoked on the half-assed happenings around town once you see what’s possible. Once again, shouts to Puffco for making it all happen.

Returning to Santa Rosa, Hall of Flowers was once again the massive brand show-out you’d expect. The ComplexCon for weed, all of the industry’s hypebeasters were on the scene to see the latest and greatest, and the OG’s were on the ground working out of backpacks instead of paying thousands for tables. While attendance did feel a bit lighter this year than usual, I would actually argue that counter-programming won the day for this one. Although none of the officially un-official afterparties were anything to write home about, two private affairs happened at Sazon (which is SO good – if you’re in Santa Rosa it’s a must stop) the first two nights. More on that later, but as always, don’t miss a Doja sesh if you hear it’s happening. That one was LEGENDARY.

As always, let me know what you’re excited about, what I missed, what you’ve got coming, or what just generally sucks on Twitter.

Talking Terps

I already told you Puffcon was about the homies, and just like last year I’m so stoked on Talking Terps activation on site. Once again bringing the cottage to the masses, this year the gang debuted a special commemorative event shirt (featuring Crawford & his Proxy), towels, some toys & foam fingers. On top of a killer activation, with a new mural by Sunflower Form & his girlfriend, the craziest part to me is how the Terps are always visible before you even enter the event. Most of the line was covered in their various drops and while everyone had a Puffco product, I would definitely say the next most popular brand of the outing was the squad. The boys had a line ALL DAY!

Alien Labs x Fullymelted drop

Another brand I talk about a lot, the Aliens. Of course. But bro – the collab they dropped with Fullymelted (from Wooksauce Winery) is quite possibly the best rosin I’ve ever smoked in my life. Full stop. Of course I was an idiot and forgot to scoop a jar before the event because I was losing my mind, and there were only 100 to begin with, but thankfully my buddy Frank Castillo did and glob’d me out at The Comedy Store. All I can say is despite being insanely high already, that Xeno cut right through. Not only was I elevated to a new level, but that flavor stayed on my tongue through the next three joints. 

Custy Life

This was, without question, the most ridiculous pre-party I have ever been to. Besides the fact that there was probably a half a million in glass scattered throughout the house, and the most premium cannabis products available on the market today, these guys flew our Custy Chef from New York to make the best pizza I’ve had in my life – for eight hours. Even crazier, dude didn’t come in for the day. They brought him in for the week, and he spent at least 3 days prepping for the meal. It was as incredible as it sounds. I have no idea how this came together. I was invited by my guy BK the God who assured me ‘Custy Life’ was not a brand, but a vibe, and that absolutely no business would go down there. Homies like Kapow, Dan’s Roll Ups, Alkemist Organics and even the elusive Bobby Trill showed up. I’ve since learned from Dan that the whole purpose of this thing is really to recruit new White Corn Pizza missionaries – which, mission accomplished: I’ve converted. In all seriousness though, this was probably the most extravagant outing I’ve seen to date.

Z5

Yes, Jon likes Zkittles. We know this, tell us something new. Okay, well how about this? Of course the one time I miss Doja’s sesh FieldZ shows up with all his new Z phenos and ya boy wasn’t there to see! Seems my luck lately. Fortunately, my guy Jesse the Chef couldn’t let him leave town without pulling some new fire for the community. Selected by Jesse and affectionately named Z5 (a play on the A5 wagyu he’s become known for), I’ve seen a lot of good Zkittles lately, but this one’s particularly delightful. Given that it’s still a bit early for the premieres of the new phenos, this is your shot to get laced up right now.

Trevy Metal

Probably my favorite part of Puffcon is the lot, which brings out so many incredible artists to introduce and sell their wares to the community. While the usual suspects like All My Hats Are Dead, Trove SF, and Elbo were back showing out, I was fortunate enough to meet the new homie Trevy Metal for the first time, and boy was I stoked to see his spread. I picked up this crazy half smiley with a skeleton peeking out pillow that’s way cooler than it sounds now reciting it back. But from his prints to the 1/1 merch items he had on display, it was super dope to see the breadth of this creative’s work in basically the perfect headspace for it.

MycoOakland’s Gear

And speaking of lot homies, I’ve got to call attention to how my guy MycoOakland has been growing – and not just on the fungi side. The pinky pioneer has already been quietly producing some of the best branded merch in the game – from cut & sew shorts to jackets – but what he’s got coming… Let me just say there are a lot of brands who are trying to do seasonal style offerings to mobilize billboards in the wild, but few have brands that could stand on their own if the traditional biz didn’t exist. Myco’s got that. This is the type of gear that, while definitely mentioning where it came from, could fit in just about anywhere, while still subtly nodding to the culture in each piece.

Champelli

Pelli’s a legend so I doubt this is going to be the first time anyone’s hearing this name (especially if you’ve spent virtually any time in the Bay), but the man’s been popping up all over the scene lately and I want to celebrate how loud the work’s been. The always humble icon is the type to usually preface opening his bag with something like ‘this isn’t even anything that impressive’, and it ALWAYS has something THAT impressive. Not only that, but Joe’s a real artist – he’s thought through every detail of the experience so while the weed’s better than the majority of the market to begin with, he’s also got mylars that would stoke out even the most picky street hustlers. It’s hard to beat the Champ.

Sourwavez RS-11

Also all over the scene lately has been the infamous meme legend Sourwavez. While I’ll admit I knew about the jokes before the work, one thing is clear: his plants are no laughing matter. Well, maybe that excited giggle if you’re like me, but you get it. Y’all know I’ve smoked a LOT of RS-11 in my day, but Waves’ take on the strain that has propelled several brands into the limelight already is worthy of the call out. Even better, the donuts he’s moving right now are KILLER. Branded a la The Simpsons, Smokin’ Donuts are definitely worth a snag if you come across them – some of the cleanest hash j’s I’ve smoked!

Sacred Fruits Merch Collabs

If it feels like the first half of this is all gang, it is. You’re getting 20 today and I already told you what Puffcon is about, so don’t be surprised. That said, how the Sacred Fruits infiltrated this year’s event is worth writing home about. Debuting collabs with all the legends – from a Trapis Designs dyed Alien Labs collab, to a long sleeve with the Good Trip guys, to the first-ever Sacred Fruits hats created by All My Hats Are Dead, who they also split a booth with, the gang did not let the fact that they’re primarily dealing in the less-than-legal stop them from making a splash at one of the real head’s favorite days. Well played, and thanks for the drugs!

Trich x Astor x LING x the Alchemist’s Pre-Bash

This one’s laced with counter-programming already, but I can’t forget to mention Puffcon’s OTHER pre-celebration, this time thrown by Trichadelics and Astor Club. Taking place at the 91 Club downtown and featuring a performance by the Alchemist, this one brought out all the legends and was a clear sign that the next day was about to rule. From Squints to the First Smoke of the Day gang, everyone pulled up to catch the set, grab some of Trich’s new press, and score one of the hyper limited oz jars Alchemist x Life is Not Grape released of 11 Grapes. Coming off Custy Life, this was the perfect way to end the day and lean into the celebrations of the weekend.

Surefire Selections New Phenos

Another excellent pre-party I had the fortune of attending was Surefire Selections’ new pheno tasting in Santa Rosa the night before HOF began. Now, I would’ve gone to this thing either way as I respect what Surefire’s doing, but homie had it at Sazon – possibly the best restaurant in Santa Rosa (fight me, I’ll stand on it) – so I knew I was in for a treat. Even with all that going for it, as expected, the flower was once again the star of the show. My two choices of the night were Candy Fumez, a cross of Zkittles and Sherbanger (bred by Boston Roots), two consistent fan favorites, and a Cherry Pie x OZK cut (bred by Mendoja Farms) I’m not sure has a name yet. While I’m sure it’ll be a bit before these are available to the general consumers, please keep an eye out. These batches are so standout when I got back to New York my family told me “This is the most impressive stuff you’ve ever brought home.”

Fig Farms

This is another one y’all certainly know we’re big fans of over here, but considering it was Fig Farms‘ first showing at Hall of Flowers I would be remiss if I didn’t mention my pick of the show, despite the fact that they’re a consistent favorite. You have already heard me explain that the flower these guys produce is truly in a league of its own, but they’ve always got some new special project to show me that floors me. Every. Single. Time. This show’s surprise was Z’clair, a new cross of Zonuts & Cold Heat that tastes even better than it looks. As always, this high’s stoney, especially for casual consumers, but I found a bright and giggly high, despite physically feeling sluggish.

Decibel Gardens

Y’all know I’m always on the hunt for daytime strains, and I’m pleased to report a new name producing some truly impressive work. I had the pleasure of meeting the Decibel Gardens team at this year’s Hall of Flowers and while I say new because they’re new to me, the work shows the expertise is there. With three bright & citrus-y expressions that I’ve been enjoying the past few days (Golden Kiwi, Citric Acid & Cali-O), the brand has set a clear focus on a side of the market often overlooked in favor of the candy gas the market is always asking for. While I’m sure it seems like easy riches catering to what the market is asking for right now, I’m far more interested in those honing in their specific cuts, so I’m excited to watch these guys evolve.

Big Chief’s Fizzlezz

I rarely include edibles in this list anymore because there’s so much flower crushing the game right now, but you know I can’t help myself when I find something truly unique and exciting. Well gang, weed pop rocks are here, and they’re insanely delicious! Released by Big Chief, the Fizzlezz are flavored popping candy you can add to anything or just pound from the pack (guess which I did). And even better, the flavors aren’t just your standard Cherry or Grape – they have frickin Pina Colada, Mocha and even Cola! And that’s what they taste like! What a time to be alive!

Sturt’s Doinks

I’ve been hearing good things about Sturt’s for awhile now, and while we’ve been friends online for a minute I just got to try one of his coveted hand rolls recently, and let me tell you, the hype is real. While I’m not going to lie, this thing was a gauntlet to smoke, it was incredibly flavorful and manageable despite the size – 3.5g of flower & a full gram of rosin. The first I smoked was a double down on Sherbanger, and was honestly one of the tastiest joints of my life, bar none.

Real Deal Resin

One thing that seems to have gotten lost from a lot of brands lately, especially in marketing collateral and displays, is a real sense of fun. While sure everyone looks polished lately, and fancy mylars are everywhere, no one else had close to the type of vibe Real Deal Resin was providing at this year’s HOF. Emblazoned with flips of some of the most iconic wrestlers of all time, RDR’s a lot more than just good packaging, but it will definitely draw you in. Once you actually tap into the products though? You’re in for a treat. I was fortunate enough to see their work both pre and post rec, and I’ve got to say, they’re one of few that have got it down on both ends of the spectrum.

Terp Hogz

Do y’all realize how lucky you are that I’m providing you with TWO separate Z mentions in the same article? I said earlier this year that Z season was back, but even I couldn’t have expected what the OGs were about to turn out. And I haven’t even seen all the new phenos yet! But I was fortunate enough to run into Jondo a few times throughout the week in Santa Rosa, and he broke me off with one of the Original Z x West Coast Alchemy buckets he had on him. All I can say is that while this flavor is often imitated, simply nothing beats the original. If you can get your hands on one of these super limited jars I would move quick – this is one I’m going to cherish for a while.

Laughing Gas

I recently heard Joey CoCo Diaz talking about this brand and how he wanted the devil to be front and center because it’s weed and not health food. I love this mentality, but I’ll be honest, I love the weed even more. This is admittedly not the first time I’ve tried Laughing Gas, but having had the opportunity now to sniff & smoke through their whole portfolio I’d be remiss if I didn’t point out the dank here too. While again, this is another one with an attractive eye-catching mylar, this is also one filling their bags with the real deal. The Zashimi was my favorite of the selection (go figure), but the Truffle & Rainbow Runtz were also worth scooping!

It’s All About Choices

As just mentioned above, I’m only sharing edibles that truly excite me now, and these guys are exciting. These guys seem to infuse EVERYTHING. And when I say everything, I mean everything. They’re coming to market with 150 SKUs and include items like medicated ketchup, mashed potatoes, drink mixes, etc. It’s really never ending. Not only that, but the recipes are formulated from scratch by Casey Shea, a pastry chef formerly at Milk Bar, so they’re all actually just as delicious as they are medicated. What a great combination. For those of you that don’t want to taste any plant material, or change your diet or routine whatsoever to Runtz your life up, your ticket is on its way.

Panacea’s YSL

These guys aren’t a new name to me, but I’m pretty sure they’ve never graced the list before. This one’s my pick for the most standout nose of the show. While it’s a Runtz cut, which is of course not the most unique, Panacea’s Yves St. LaRuntz is certainly not just more of the same. Although the sample I saw admittedly seemed a bit early, there’s this classic musk to the buds that translates through to the flavor, and it stays with you. Almost like rotten vanilla, you’ll find yourself craving it before long. Not only was the taste there, but the high from this one was surprisingly impactful, staying with me far longer than most of its relatives had in the past.

The post Jon’s Stone-Cold Cop List #29: Hall of PuffCon Glory appeared first on High Times.

There may even be those cannabis conservatives who’ll argue that mingling with any extension of the subjugated south, a place seemingly chock full of flag-praising good ole boys with red, white, and blue constitutions, pounding down brown liquor in pursuit of the maniacal mindset that’s been, on occasion, known to produce wife-beaters and social louses shouldn’t be given the time of day. But they’d be dead wrong. Dead wrong. If anything, Kentucky, an area of cockeyed politics, where the absurdity that dropped out of Nixon’s Republican asshole nearly five decades ago is being perpetuated by the ire of slack-jawed McConnellism, is precisely the place to be.

My mission, if I, of course, chose to accept it (and I did without thinking twice), was to roam this transient Valhalla of bourbon distilleries and music in search for some of that Kentucky Bluegrass. You know, marijuana, weed, smoke, pot. Much to my surprise, however, upon arriving on Thursday evening, I didn’t have to go looking very far. Amidst the mélange of odors, including pizza, BBQ, noodles, and cheap cologne, pot smoke was also prevalent throughout the festival. This was interesting seeing as organizers maintained strict bans against this sort of thing. Any illegal drug use was strictly prohibited. They went as far as to explicitly point out in their entry policies that even cannabis and cannabis products were a big, bad no-no. There was a high security and police presence posted at every gate to enforce this measure, too. Bags were being searched, metal detectors were activated, K9 units could be seen sniffing around. No sir, the supposed riffraff with the reefer wasn’t getting beyond the gates with any of that green stuff, no matter what. If they tried, they’d have Louisville’s finest to contend with. Yet, from where I was standing, just minutes before Alanis Morrisette took the stage, their anti-stoner procedures had failed, and failed miserably.

As the sun slumped into the horizon, plumes of pot smoke wafted across the Highland Festival Grounds like a bomb went off. “Someone’s smoking marijuana,” one man shouted in the distance.

Indeed, they were.

Now, I wasn’t surprised about the festivalgoers’ inability to behave like good boys and girls. You just can’t go dropping over a hundred thousand people into a field under the heat of a Kentucky sky for four days straight, feeding them an unlimited supply of hard liquor and expect civil society to parade around and smile pretty. Louisville is, after all, Bourbon City. If this event was to shake out to be anything similar to what I’ve witnessed at the Kentucky Derby in previous years, the festival was destined to become a menagerie of foul beasts, all with a propensity for violence once the lines to the Porta-Potties got too long. If the inability to take a whizz once nature called didn’t get them riled up enough to unleash their savage wrath, they would surely rise up with wild-eyed ferocity once they checked their bank accounts and saw that those $18 beers were going to have them homeless by the end of the month. I, for one, was ready for anything. But did anyone else know what they were getting themselves into? Doubtfully. By Saturday, at least in my mind, attendees would not only need to come fully prepared to endure desert-like conditions but also cloaked in plastic or maybe even battle armor to protect them from the whiskey-drenched carnage that would surely loom once the darkness set in and those bourbon bellies erupted.

Pearl Jam was set to headline Saturday’s festivities. The band, whose hits include “Jeremy,” and “Daughter,” hadn’t played anywhere in the Midwest in roughly ten years, and maybe for good reason. Their rare presence meant that every class of character from soccer moms to Yoo-hoo girls to a variety of man-fans of varying levels of testosterone would be there too, all summoning their inner, flannel-sporting youth, fully prepared for a time quake of nostalgia. The celebration would be one where twinges of teenage rebellion, memories of first love, and perhaps even simpler times could possibly invoke a slew of deep-seated emotions and set even the most stable fan who’s had one too many shots on course for a nasty reaction. Weirdos, oddities, upstanding citizens, and other random creatures of the night had come to rage, and maybe even cry.

In this possible scenario, there’s only one thing to do: Protect yourself at all times. Although there was undoubtedly a heavy stoner presence throughout the festival, they were still seemingly outnumbered by the whiskey bent and hellbound pushing the experience to the point of toilet-hugging regret. A man named Jarred, who said he came for the bands, not the bourbon, told me that he felt like any fallout would be “cool” if the event would just let people toke up.

“A lot of these people were too scared to try bringing it in,” he said about the ticketholders’ response to festival policy against pot consumption. “I knew they wouldn’t be looking that close. They never do.”

Concerts and weed have always gone hand in hand. Long before cannabis was ever a consideration in terms of legal commerce anywhere in the United States, marijuana aficionados, hippies, metal heads, and perhaps even a Peter, Paul & Mary fan or two loaded up in hatchbacks, VWs, and jacked up Monte Carlos with racing stripes and mag wheels in a quest to see a performance from their favorite bands.

The first time I smelled marijuana, in fact, was in a 1970s model Chevy van with a gray, howling wolf airbrushed on the side. It was 1987 and I was en route to see Mötley Crüe with a buddy, his mom, and one of her friends. Not only did his mom offer me a hit in the parking lot, but so did five other, fully grown men during the show. No, I didn’t accept. I was only twelve and had fully bought into the Just Say No propaganda they’d been feeding us at school. I was scared to death that weed would either kill me or turn me into some deformed monstrosity that resembled Jason Voorhees. I would soon learn, however, that if you went to a rock show, you’d better be prepared to catch a whiff of weed. You might even get the opportunity to smoke some. It didn’t matter if you hadn’t yet grown hair on your balls. For my generation, pot often came before puberty.

It was seemingly easier to smuggle weed into a venue back in the day. All a clever stoner had to do was put a few joints in his shoe and it would go unnoticed. The one security guard trying to get thousands of rabid fans through the turnstile at $5.50 an hour didn’t care enough to enforce drug policy. As long as someone wasn’t carrying a shank, firearm, or nunchucks (hey, I knew a guy who tried that), they didn’t give a damn.

However, Kentucky is a strange place politically, even in 2022. There have been many attempts over the years to reform the drug laws across the state, especially those geared toward legalizing marijuana. But lawmakers have continued to shut down the concept of a taxed and regulated market. They won’t even budge in terms of allowing it to be used for therapeutic purposes. State law calls for petty pot offenders to be charged with a misdemeanor, punishable with as many as 45 days in jail and a $250 fine. But the judicial system is seemingly tired of messing with low level offenses. There’s not a lot of judges these days adhering to the state’s antiquated statute on pot possession, according to a festivalgoer I spoke with named Jesse. “I got popped for around an ounce a few counties over years ago and they just gave me a $50 fine.”

Reports from the Louisville-Courier Journal show that a small fine is a typical response to first-time offenders statewide.

Some Kentucky municipalities have eliminated criminal penalties for pot possession in recent years. Louisville, home of boxing legend Muhammad Ali, is one of them. The Metro Council decriminalized minor pot possession in 2019, making the “investigation, citations, and arrests” pertaining to adult possession of a “small amount of marijuana” the lowest law enforcement priority. It’s not a highly publicized ordinance, so tourists are often in the dark. But not the locals. 

“Nobody really worries about weed around here anymore,” a young Greta Van Fleet fan named Brad told me. “That’s why I don’t understand why the festival cares if we bring it or not.”

The thing is, they probably don’t. However, as long as marijuana remains illegal at the federal level, allowing a Schedule I controlled substance—the same classification as meth and heroin—onto the fairgrounds would certainly cripple the organizer’s ability to secure general liability insurance. And man, considering the amount of bourbon that was being served in that place, they need all they can fucking get! It’s not like the festival was allowing people to bring in alcoholic beverages either. Nope, they were unwittingly forcing patrons to sell off their first born and/or take on a second mortgage to afford the ridiculously priced beer, cocktails, and yes, every brand of bourbon imaginable being sold wherever people weren’t pissing it out. Had cannabis achieved legal status like alcohol, ganja would have presumably received the same capitalistic courtesy. They would have also gouged the shit out of it.

“If it were legal, we couldn’t afford to get high here,” Ashton from Lexington, Kentucky told me. “I’ll always bring my own.”

By the time Pearl Jam went on Saturday night, I knew, and without question, that the gatekeepers of the Bourbon & Beyond festival indeed didn’t give a shit. Not about weed, they didn’t. The smoke wafting across the fairgrounds during Thursday’s lineup, as Alanis Morrisette and Jack White closed the evening with killer sets, was no match for the odoriferous pungency assaulting my olfactory senses once Eddie Vedder and crew plugged in. Sure, the bourbon continued to flow like a busted sewer line throughout their two-hour set. That was evident. Women were storming off left and right as their beer-bellied significant others chased them down in protest of some perceived bad behavior. Arms were grabbed and hearts were presumably broken.

One man that passed me was so ripped out of his gourd that he folded backward as though he had just popped out of the Circus Circus, elevator scene from Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas where Hunter’s attorney, Dr. Gonzo, searches his coat for a lighter, jabbering about how he thinks “there’s something wrong with me.” I couldn’t help but laugh. “Man, that dude is going to be a prime candidate for a brain transplant by morning,” I thought to myself. There was something definitely wrong with him. Many others stumbled through the grass like bourbon-dazed zombies, conceivably unsure of their whereabouts, searching for answers that I was sure they would never find. From the stage, even Vedder could tell that the crowd was south of crocked, specifically calling out a man in the middle of the herd that he referred to as “Frank” for disconnecting from reality. “I’m not sure if it’s from the bourbon or the beyond,” Vedder said.

Don’t get me wrong. Although I did, in fact, fear that jungle law would inevitably take over if the barrels didn’t run dry (or if they did), and we’d all have to resort to some rather ruthless tactics to make it out alive, the air of the event remained reasonably peaceful. I never once saw anyone get their ass kicked or dragged out by police kicking and screaming. Hey man, that’s rather impressive, considering that Saturday night’s attendance consisted of a record-breaking 110,000 bourbon drinkers and hellraisers. Many neighborhood bars can’t even keep their patrons from throwing fists once more than fifty people start drinking together, but somehow festivalgoers reached a truce. Sure, Bourbon & Beyond was a sardine can under Kentucky’s slice of the universe, but an asylum it was not, even with the right kind of people. Unless you count the nuts, who dropped a month’s salary on overpriced booze for four days of fun, then I suppose we were all certifiable. Oh well, all in the spirit of good times. Send in the Ibuprofen.

The soundtrack to this lunacy, however, was one that I won’t soon forget. Thank you for that, Kentucky. For all those couples discussing divorce in the weeks to come, I wish you the best of luck. Contention, hurt feelings, and everything that manifests from the rumble is, unfortunately, often par for the carousal. Perhaps in the years to come, the state’s legislative forces will get serious about legalizing the leaf and give their otherwise law-abiding citizens more options than Jim and Jack. Not everyone can hold their liquor. And not everyone can get stoned under the current laws.

Surprisingly, most of the bands scheduled to perform didn’t use their platform to stand up for marijuana legalization. Not even Alanis Morrisette, who admitted to High Times back in 2010 that she was an avid pot fan. But that didn’t matter. She was still one of the most ass-kicking highlights of the entire weekend, and she did play “Mary Jane.” However, Pearl Jam, arguably the biggest act to grace the stage, spoke out a little on the issue. It happened after Eddie Vedder spotted a young, 10-year-old fan in the front row jamming out to the concert with his family. Parents take note: That is how you raise well-rounded children. After a little banter about the youth keeping rock n’ roll alive, Eddie reached out to the young man with a lighthearted warning.

“I was going to lecture you over the dangers of pot smoking, but it’s not even legal in Kentucky,” he declared. “But perhaps by the time you get old enough to do that, it will be, and you’ll be able to make the decision for yourself. You’re obviously a smart kid with great taste in music. He’ll be fine,” the singer concluded.

Who knows, maybe we all would. Sure, there will be some folks who fuck it all up, while others will learn to manage, survive, and even prosper in the wake of whatever freedoms the controls of our respective states decide we are deserved. That has been the case since the inception of this thing called America. But even the responsible slip and fall. That’s no excuse to continue punishing the population under the illusion that Uncle Sam cares about our safety and well-being. We don’t need that. Never did. We’re grown-ups and, as Eddie Vedder so eloquently put it, capable of making our own choices. Many will learn from their mistakes. Others won’t. They’ll keep on trying and never achieve any balance in life, blaming everyone else for their problems. But not all of us are the same. It’s important to understand that the societal downtrodden can’t always be expected to do the right thing, and they can’t always be saved from themselves. Offering some semblance of protection and hope for their futures with foolish laws won’t solve the problem. It’s certainly no benefit to the rest of us. Dumb shit will always see that people go to jail, and dumb people will always end up there. It doesn’t really matter who is held accountable. The politicians and citizens are equally to blame for holding up and, in some cases, reversing progress. However, this is the wrong path. We, every single one of us, should embrace common sense and always try to move forward, even if we don’t always agree. Thanks again, Kentucky. We’ll see you in two-to-three years for Bourbon, Bud & Beyond.

The post Bourbon & Beyond: In Search of Some Good Ole Kentucky Bluegrass appeared first on High Times.

The High Times Cannabis Cup Illinois: People’s Choice Edition is aimed to identify and award the best cannabis products from across the state, while representing an assortment of 11 different categories, with many of the entries being exclusive to the Illinois cannabis market.

To make things even better, the judging this year was not done by a select few at High Times—it was done by the people in the great state of Illinois. 

Check out our winners below, and next time you’re at the dispensary, see what all the fuss is about and give them some love. 

Indica Flower

First Place: Rythm – Brownie Scout

Second Place: Bedford Grow – I-95

Third Place: Revolution Cannabis – Peach Crescendo

Sativa Flower

First Place: Fig Farms – Figment

Second Place: UPNORTH – Durban Poison

Third Place: Revolution Cannabis – Miami Punch

Hybrid Flower

First Place: Revolution Cannabis – Gorilla’d Cheese

Second Place: Aeriz – Jenny Kush

Third Place: Floracal – Vanilla Cake

Pre-Rolls

First Place: Nature’s Grace and Wellness – Honey Bun Solventless Live Rosin Moon Walkers

Second Place: Terp Stix – Blueberry Cookies Infused Pre-Roll

Third Place: Triple 7 – Tropical Runtz Pre-Roll

Concentrates and Extracts

First Place: Revolution Cannabis – Gorilla’d Cheese Rosin

Second Place: Rythm – LIVE Grapefruit Sour Diesel

Third Place: Floracal – Banana Runtz Badder

Vape Pens

First Place: Superflux – Margalope Live Resin Vape

Second Place: Floracal – Candy Rain Cart

Third Place: Revolution Cannabis – Peach Lemonade Terp Tank Cartridge

Edibles: Gummies

First Place: Mindy’s – Berries Gummies

Second Place: Matter – Cherry Cola Gummy Bites

Third Place: Bedford Grow – Citrus Twist Gems

Edibles: Non-Gummies

First Place: Incredibles – Windy City Bites

Second Place: Nature’s Grace and Wellness – Mint Cookie Milk Chocolate Crunch Bar

Third Place: Sweet Life – Citrus Blue Caramel

Medical Flower

First Place: Verano Reserve – Guru 0

Second Place: Revolution Cannabis – Buttermilk Biscuits

Third Place: Rythm – Orange Herijuana

Medical Vape Pens

First Place: Beboe – Inspired Pen

Second Place: Nature’s Grace and Wellness – Joos Skywalker Live Resin Disposable Pen

Third Place: Verano Reserve – Sunshine OG Live Resin Vape

Medical Edibles

First Place: Bedford Grow – Strawberry Lemonade Gems

Second Place: Nature’s Grace and Wellness – Birthday Cake Pretzel Balls

Third Place: Encore – Pineapple Raspberry Gummies

A special thank you to our partners and sponsors!

Ascend Cannabis – Official Partner

Herbal Remedies Dispensary – Official Partner

Zen Leaf – Official Partner

RISE – Official Partner

Aeriz – Presenting Sponsor

Nature’s Grace and Wellness – Silver Sponsor

Matter – Bronze Sponsor

nuEra – General Sponsor

The post The Winners of the High Times Cannabis Cup Illinois: People’s Choice Edition 2022 appeared first on High Times.

The two-day event kicks off on September 13 at the Palmer House Hilton, where attendees will be given an opportunity to broaden their network and listen to a who’s-who of keynote speakers.

It is the 15th edition of the cannabis conference, which Benzinga, a financial media outlet, bills as the top cannabis conference in the world, and a summit where “where stars are made and real deals happen.”

The outlet says that a recent cannabis conference “was the very site where Trulieve Cannabis team met Harvest Health & Recreation, which ultimately led to a $2.1-billion acquisition.”

“At this modern day gathering, you’ll have the opportunity to meet some of the most important cannabis stars at the Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference where you’ll rub shoulders with executives of top-performing companies, glean priceless insights from the world’s leading cannabis investors, entrepreneurs, social equity leaders, women who have taken the industry by storm and so many more,” the outlet said in an announcement earlier this summer.

“Now in its 15th edition, the CCC is where countless companies, from large to small to startups, have met investors who supported them with tens of millions. Sit in on the numerous presentations, fireside chats and exclusive interviews. Enjoy friendly access to companies representing more than 90% of the cannabis industry’s market capitalization in one place.”

Benzinga is offering three different ticket packages for the conference. For $797.00, attendees can receive a general admission ticket, which will get them two-day admission to conference content tracks, two-day admission to the exhibit hall, as well as access to cocktail receptions.

A VIP Pass will cost you just under $1,300, but it will get you the following: “Access to Conference VIP Lounge; Access to VIP area at the Afterparty; Special Invites to Dinners & Parties; Express Check-In; VIP name badge; Reserved Seating; 2 Day Admission to conference content tracks; 2 Day Admission to the Exhibit Hall; Access to Cocktail Receptions both days; Access to Conference Networking App.”

A third option, the Investor Pass, is “for institutional and accredited investors,” and costs just under $300.

Those in attendance will have the chance to listen to several luminaries from the cannabis industry: Charlie Bachtell, CEO Cresco Labs, LLC; Kim Rivers, CEO Trulieve Cannabis Corp.; Chris Beals, CEO WeedMaps; Wendy Berger, Board Member Green Thumb Industries; Boris Jordan, Executive Chairman of the Board Curaleaf; and Michael DeGiglio, CEO Village Farms.

In addition, the conference will be highlighted by dozens of other notable speakers, such as Vic Mensa, who recently launched Chicago’s first Black-owned cannabis brand 93 Boyz; NFL Hall of Famer Calvin Johnson, the founder of Michigan-based cannabis company Primitiv; boxing legend Mike Tyson, the co-founder of the cannabis company Tyson 2.0; and former professional wrestler Ric Flair, who is involved in Tyson 2.0.

Three members of the U.S. House will also speak at the conference: Rep. Marie Newman (D-IL); Rep. Troy Carter (D-LA); and Rep. Dave Joyce (R-OH).

The conference will also have a special emphasis on social equity.

“Through our Cannabis Capital Conference series, we strive to put a spotlight on the conversation surrounding social equity via panel discussions with organizations who are combating inequality in the cannabis industry, individuals who have been adversely affected by the War on Drugs, and policymakers who are leading the charge on writing legislation to undo the impacts of prohibition,” Benzinga says. “Additionally, Benzinga has committed to donating a percentage of all event ticket sales to Last Prisoner Project, a non-profit organization dedicated to cannabis criminal justice reform. We are also proud to offer discounted conference tickets to owners of marijuana businesses who have received state certification for their social equity initiatives.”

The post Benzinga Cannabis Conference Kicks Off in Chicago Next Week appeared first on High Times.

The event headliners were Ludacris, Rick Ross, Busta Rhymes, Xzibit, Too $hort, Kurupt, as well as many other artists including Spliff Star, Loomi$, Ras Kass, Naté the Soulsanger, and many more. Adelanto Mayor Gabriel Reyes was also in attendance, supporting cannabis and sporting brands.

In the parking lot, the Raider Nation held their annual kick-off event at a tailgate party hosted by Game Day, UFC veteran Elias Theodorou, and the top-ranked reigning U.S. Slap Fight Champion, Da Crazy Hawaiian, hosted a slap-fighting Chin Check Slap Down that saw the biggest fighters delivering the biggest slaps.

Koa Viernes, aka Da Crazy Hawaiian, competed at events such as one particular fight that lasted 20 rounds with Hillbilly Hippie, and the world’s first Pay-Per-View slap fight, hosted in Atlanta, Georgia. Da Crazy Hawaiian recently was signed to cannabis brand Game Day, makers of products like Diamonds or Raider Nation Pre-Game Pre-rolls.

“You either got it for the game or you don’t,” Da Crazy Hawaiian told High Times, referring to the mental state that slap fighters must get into. “Once you get slapped for the first time—you’ll figure out if you want to be in it or not. It’s all in the mind. I just turn into Da Crazy Hawaiian. As soon as I get there, I’m going to take somebody’s head off. It’s Game Day.

“We got Pre-Game Pre-Rolls from Game Day,” Da Crazy Hawaiian said as he pulled out another pre-roll. “They are rolled in kief. Gotta have that concentrate, baby.”

Entertainers also joined in to share what they are smoking on and the general vibe in Adelanto.

“Right now this is some Wedding Cake,” Spliff Star told High Times, blowing out smoke as he was perched in front of his tour bus after he performed. “I brought this with me from New York.

“The vibe is beautiful man, you know I’m saying, is really I’ve always been a fan of Too $hort, Xzibit.

“I’m a fan of High Times magazine as well,” he said. “My name is Spliff Star, you know what I’m sayin’, and I love it all. I’m into the cannabis culture. We came and performed High Times Cannabis Cup [SoCal in 2019] “Yeah, we had fun. We killed that shit. Yeah, I can’t wait to come back again. Especially myself. I love it. I love the culture. And it’s not just about smoking; it is the vibe and meeting new people, with an open mind and a free spirit. You know what I mean? And a spliff, man. That’s why I chose that name Spliff because a spliff makes friends. And it’s worldwide and it’s about sharing this by sharing the love.”

Old school and new school hip-hop artists were both part of the mix.

“Good weed should make you motivated,” rap veteran Ras Kass said. “It should make you want to go to sleep. It should make you motivated. This shit is ecstatic. It’s motivation, the energy is incredible and there are so many different brands and so many different people selling all kinds of incredible things and that’s what this culture is about.”

Cannabis and hip-hop have been intertwined “from day one,” Ras Kass says. “I was born and raised in L.A. So the stereotype was to go to the studio, smoke a blunt, and then you write your record. Yeah, that’s it. The stereotype. You gotta smoke. Salute to Adelanto, Salute to California where we are some of the coolest people and cities like Adelanto are pushing the culture and for progressive reform.”

The list included rappers as well as soul singers.

“I’ve smoked multiple strains today,” Loomi$ told High Times. You know, basically everything anybody gave me, but I usually just smoke indicas and OGs.” I’m from L.A., period, because listen, I’m here smoking it up like a motherfucker like I should because it should be legal. You can smoke a cigarette every week, so why not cannabis? We have an album coming out. It’s me, Timbaland, Bobby Ross Avila, […] we got Battlecat on there.”

“I’ve had a lot of Heavenly Sweet, Naté the Soulsanger told High Times. “And everything else they handed me to be honest. And because I feel so good, I don’t remember all the names. I think CAM Cannabis was one that I remember. But everything’s been fire from the performance for the week. Everything is higher.”

Producers working behind the scenes also chimed in. “I’ve never been out here before,” producer Rick Rock told High Times. “It’s always an experience driving here. And the people are cool and really nice, laid back. I produce for Xzibit, at least three of his songs and Busta Rhymes, maybe two or three songs and Mariah Carey.”

Follow Cannexs to learn about future cannabis-related events.

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