High Times to Hold Inaugural People’s Choice Competition in SoCal

By Jarrett Banks

Cannabis vanguard High Times will hold its first competition in Southern California in which the public will be able to participate in the judging process. The People’s Choice Cannabis Cup will feature more than 68 brands across 146 entries to compete to be the best in the state across 10 categories.

The competition’s judging kits will be handled by High Times’ own delivery service. Categories include flower (sativa, hybrid, indica, and sungrown), pre-rolls, concentrates, vape pens & cartridges, tinctures/topicals/capsules, and two edible categories: foods and beverages.

High Times launched retail and delivery throughout California, from zero to 12 stores this year, and signed a $25 million licensing deal that will bring in three additional stores. The stores sell logo memorabilia, licensed products and a variety of cannabis products, including local strains that have won Cannabis Cup awards.

U.S. cannabis sales are likely to flourish from more state-legal markets, reduced federal scrutiny and the increased potential for national legalization. President-elect Joe Biden’s administration may help pave the way for a liberalization of restrictions placed on the U.S. legal marijuana industry, potentially lifting its sales.

With about 40 employees in New York and Los Angeles, High Times’ advertisers include Advanced Nutrients, Kush Bottles and Pop Chips. It has 250,000 readers, with 75 percent of its online audience being men between 18 and 34.