What has a plentiful landscape of natural beauty, is famous for hatch green chiles, is the birthplace of Neil Patrick Harris, is the current residence to author George R.R. Martin (seriously, he has a day held in his honor annually on March 29), has a multitude of culture, and is also home to a bustling cannabis scene? We are proud to announce that we’ll be expanding our popular cannabis competition to New Mexico for the very first time! Welcome to the High Times Cannabis Cup New Mexico: People’s Choice Edition 2023.
New Mexico adult-use cannabis sales launched on April 1, 2022. On that day alone, consumers swarmed nearby dispensaries with a huge $3 million in sales during its first weekend and has kept a steady rise in sales ever since. Nearly one year later, the industry is thriving, and we know you’re ready to dive into some of the state’s best products.
For New Mexican consumers, here’s the deal: you have the power! Pick up one of our judge kits from our retail partners at Pecos Valley Productions (more to be announced soon) starting on June 17 through Aug. 20. We have 11 categories available for this cup:
Entry Categories:
Indica Flower (2 entries max per company)
Sativa Flower (2 entries max per company)
Hybrid Flower (2 entries max per company)
Pre-Rolls (2 entries max per company)
Infused Pre-Rolls (1 entry max per company)
Solvent Concentrates (2 entries max per company)
Non-Solvent Concentrates (2 entries max per company)
Vape Pens & Cartridges (2 entries max per company) (category may split)
Edibles: Gummies & Fruit Chews (2 entries max per company)
Edibles: Chocolates & Non-Gummies (2 entries max per company)
Sublinguals, Capsules, Tinctures + Topicals (3 entries max per company)
After you pick up your judge kit, log in to our online judge’s portal and let your comments be known. Depending on the category, judges are invited to carefully analyze their products with numerous criteria in mind. The aesthetics of a product and its packaging, aroma/scent, taste/flavor profile, and effects/effectiveness are just a few things we ask judges to consider. Depending on each product’s overall scores, we calculate which ones were most praised by judges, and will announce winners via a digital awards show on Sept. 3.
The goal of our People’s Choice Edition competition is to help put the spotlight and some of the most unique and one-of-a-kind products throughout the state. For those who want to enter the competition, you can submit your products to our intake partner, Pecos Valley Productions, between June 5-7. There are some rules for entry though, so please review the following information carefully:
Entry Requirements:
Flower: (228) 1-gram samples. We will not accept any 3.5-gram entries.
Pre-Rolls & Infused Pre-Rolls: (228) samples: Pre-Rolls will be capped at 2g flower-only each; Infused Pre-Rolls will be capped at 3g flower equivalency or 1g concentrate equivalency each.
Concentrates & Vape Pens: (228) .5-gram samples. We will not accept any 1-gram entries. Batteries required for carts.
The price for one entry is set at $250, which is non-refundable. Two entries are marked at $100 each, also non-refundable. However, if you submit three or more entries, each entry is $100 and it is a refundable deposit per entry held. You can get refunded when all entries are successfully submitted, and those fees are waived if you choose to become a sponsor of our event.
There are plenty of cannabis cups at this point, though perhaps the High Times Cannabis Cup is the most well-known. As mushrooms become a bigger deal, the question comes up, can they be judged in the same way? And the answer is a resounding yes! The company Oakland Hyphae is the first organization to create the Psilocybin Cup. Read on to find out more about it.
What is a cannabis cup exactly?
A cannabis cup is a competition whereby growers can compete on different levels to essentially see who has the best bud. Different aspects are judged, like potency, flavor, smell, how it looks, benefits, and how smooth the experience. Sometimes these competitions, like the High Times Cannabis Cup, also act as a trade show and festival for weed itself; including tie dying, body painting, lectures, and other fun activities. In the past, High Times Cups have even had high-class entertainment like Wu Tang Clan or Nas.
One of the benefits of participating in these events, is that it brings a lot of attention to winners, and is associated with increasing sales for those whose buds are judged as best. It’s also how we, the public, hear about new strains, some of which go on to become household names. And at the same time, it means we learn more and more about weed and these different strains in general.
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The High Times Cannabis Cup is one of the most popular and longest running of these competitions. It was founded back in 1988, and was originally held in Amsterdam, as at that time, Amsterdam was one of the more lenient places for weed use. It has since become an industry leader in the cannabis competition field. The panel of judges identifies the top three products per each judging category (mentioned above), and the top spot wins the trophy.
The Cannabis Cup used to be more of an underground thing, when weed was still completely illegal everywhere in the US. Then it morphed into a competition for medical products only, when that avenue was opening up. And now it, and similar competitions, operate openly, and usually hold their competitions in weed friendly states.
Many different people can be judges, including unknown names. However, some of the interesting past judges for the High Times Cup, include: “Tommy Chong, Snoop Dogg, Patti Smith, Wiz Khalifa, Joe Rogan, Damian Marley, Kid Cudi, Method Man, Redman, Rita Marley, B-Real, B.O.B., Alex Grey, and the Brotherhood of Eternal Love,” among others.
The High Times Cannabis Cup might be the most prestigious and well known, but its joined by a host of others, like “The WEEDYS Awards; Best Bud, D.C. State Fair; Cultivation Classic; Sticky Icky Carolina Cup & Title Belt Asheville NC 420; Dope Cup; Emerald Cup; High Times Medical Cannabis Cup; Northwest Cannabis Classic; Oregon Cannabis Growers’ Fair; Stony Awards; and The Grow-Off. These are all US competitions, but there are plenty more held internationally as well.
What’s the Hyphae Psilocybin Cup?
Right now, though cannabis cups are all the rage, there’s a new entrant into the world of judging drugs and giving awards: magic mushrooms. Not only are they being decriminalized and legalized in different places; but their overall growth in acceptance, has led to the opening and growth of markets. And this opens the door to similar competitions, in which psilocybin mushrooms compete against each other. As of yet, there is only one in the US, the Oakland Hyphae Psilocybin Cup, hosted by Oakland Hyphae.
The founder of the competition is one cool dude, and he’s quite the entrepreneur in the mushrooms field. The guy’s name is Reggie Harris, and not only is he a seasoned veteran of political campaigns, working on everything from city councils to presidential elections, but the guy is also one of those really awesome figures who sees the problems in his own neighborhood and fights for change. In Oakland, California, Reggie worked with the Black Organizing Project in West Oakland to institute guidance counselors, instead of police, in Oakland public schools.
Psilocybin Cup judges different aspects of magic mushrooms
He’s been in the mushrooms world a while, consulting and working with large-scale cultivators. Within the past few years, he established the company Oakland Hyphae, which hosts not just the Psilocybin Cup, but a range of nationwide conferences on psychedelics as well. He also created Hyphae Labs, which is a leader in testing for mushroom potency; as well as Hyphae Nootropics, which is geared toward providing products made from non-psychedelic mushrooms. On top of all this, he’s the creator of HyphaeLeaks, a news publication which among other things, seeks to promote small businesses and legacy operators.
What does theHyphae Psilocybin Cup judge?
So now we know a pretty cool guy, started a pretty cool competition, that acts like the many cannabis cups out there; except that its for magic mushrooms. But what exactly is the point of this competition, and what are the judges judging?
First off, this competition is (at least for now) solely about submissions of the specific magic mushrooms species Psilocybe cubensis, which is home to many popular strains. Hyphae Labs is the tester for all participants in these competitions. The lab looks at the percent of both psilocybin and psilocin in each specimen, and the percent of tryptamines as well. The results of these tests dictate some of the winners of the competition.
Awards are given in different categories, just like with cannabis cups. These include: the effects of the mushrooms, aesthetic appearance, and strength: which accounts for the balance created by both strength and overall effects. The titles given to winners include: Spiritual/Therapeutic Champion, Recreational Champion, Microdose Champion, and Bag Appeal Champion.
The very first Hyphae Psilocybin Cup was held in the spring of 2021. So far there have been four of these competitions. In both spring and fall of 2021, and both spring and fall of 2022. I unfortunately did not see information for a competition this spring (2023), but it’s quite possible the announcement is coming, or that it might be becoming a once-yearly competition. For information on the previous competitions and winners, you can look here.
As a side note, while the Amanita muscaria mushroom industry grows, it is not a part of this competition, as these mushrooms contains different compounds for which Hyphae does not currently test. Perhaps in the future this will change. For those interested in how Amanita products fair in competition, this year’s People’s Choice Hemp Cup – also put out by High Times – actually has a couple products that include Amanita mushrooms.
How does such a competition help?
Remember that part under the cannabis cups section, when I said these competitions greatly help growers in gaining publicity; as well as introducing the public to more and new strains? Well, the same applies here. Plus, as a new field, with new compounds to measure and things to consider, this competition helps bring information and awareness on the topic in general, right to the masses.
Lab testing psilocybin mushrooms
According to one of the biologists and researchers at Hyphae Labs, Ian Bollinger, its hard to know how to dose mushrooms by weight alone, which is the general strategy, regardless of strain. This competition, and the lab itself, aim to bring more specific information to users, so things like dosing per strain can be more accurate.
Much like cannabis cups expanding our general knowledge, the Psilocybin Cup works similarly. With all the hundreds of samples submit to the lab as part of the competition, the organization is able to get a much better view of the landscape of potency between different Psilocybe cubensis strains. Which means more information, and more precise purchasing and dosing strategies, for users.
Want to be a part of it?
Unfortunately, no information is posted yet for the next Hyphae Psilocybin Cup. But registration is generally announced not long before the competition is held. Anyone with a submission to make, is welcome to register and participate. Information for registration for the competition is posted on the Oakland Hyphae site. Alternatively, (since its not there yet), you can contact the company directly for further details. You may use the contact form from the website, which is here.
While registration is open to anyone, there’s less information available for the requirements that actually get a mushroom grower approved for entry. Once you’ve registered, the company will contact you with more information for submitting your product, with plenty of further information on how exactly the submission process goes.
I see no information stipulating an end to this competition, so I expect a Psilocybin Cup will be held sometime in 2023. However, as mentioned, I also see nothing specifically related to it yet. With the mushrooms industry only growing, there are sure to be more of these competitions popping up in the next few years; so interested and prospective registrants should definitely pay attention. We’ll be sure to keep you updated!
Conclusion
It was bound to happen. Cannabis cups are huge because cannabis is huge. And as the magic mushrooms industry grows, so does the desire for competition. Reggie Harris sure made something special with the Hyphai Psilocybin Cup; and we should all keep our eyes out for information on the next competition.
Psilocybin mushrooms
This competition is certainly one to keep track of. But with psychedelics (and hallucinogens, in general) growing in popularity, there are plenty more events to check out. In the US, here are some of the psychedelics events you definitely don’t want to miss this year. And if you’re not in America, or looking for a good reason to travel, check out these events, which happen worldwide.
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People remain behind bars for cannabis-related convictions despite the abundance of legalization and decriminalization measures that roll out in the U.S. Rather than be apathetic about cannabis prisoners, it’s time to do something about it.
Keep Austin Weed is partnering with cannabis criminal justice reform nonprofit Last Prisoner Project (LPP) and pioneering hip-hop group dead prez. LPP focuses on three key criminal justice reform initiatives: prisoner release, cannabis record clearance, and reentry support.
Dead prez will be performing at a benefit concert for LPP on March 13 from 6-10 p.m. at the Far Out Lounge & Stage during the South by Southwest (SXSW) tech, film, music, education, and culture festival in Austin, Texas. The Far Out Lounge & Stage provides more information about the event Let’s Get Free on the website.
The event marks the appointment of Mutulu Olugbala, aka M-1, of dead prez, to LPP’s Board of Directors. He’ll be joining cannabis industry leaders, executives, and activists who are committed to supporting LPP’s mission to free cannabis prisoners who still remain behind bars.
There will be a performance by dead prez along with special guests, including Blindspotting creators Rafael Casal and Daveed Diggs (Hamilton), both of whom appear in the original 2018 film.
Arrests Continue
According to the FBI’s Crime Data Explorer, state and local law enforcement agencies reported 170,856 arrests for cannabis possession in 2021, slightly down from over 226,000 in 2020. And Texas was home to the highest number of arrests, with over 60,000 arrests.
Despite all of the decriminalization measures, including Texas’s city-level decriminalization measures, the arrests continue, and people remain behind bars for outdated laws. LPP estimates at least 40,000 remain incarcerated in the U.S. for crimes involving cannabis.
“Indeed this is fundamentally wrong,” M-1 tells High Times. “It’s plain to see that the U.S. agenda of mass incarceration is still their priority. This is glaring due to the changed public perception and recent decriminalization of cannabis. These contradictions expose the depth of injustice in this country as the undeniable power of plant medicine continues to grow.”
The mixed messages we get from the government aren’t going to work.
That’s one of the reasons M-1 agreed to join Last Prisoner Project’s Board of Directors.
“The Last Prisoner Project has done tremendous work fighting for the justice and freedom of cannabis prisoners which completely aligns with work I have been doing as a revolutionary cultural worker. I’m excited to be seated on this board and bring my years of experience and resources to this mission,” M-1 says. “LPP is the counterbalance to a growing cannabis industry which should be celebrating this legacy and people who paid the price to push our culture forward.”
Courtesy Last Prisoner Project
Get Political with dead prez
Check out LPP’s latest Pardons To Progress campaign that puts pressure on local governors to use their clemency power to release those incarcerated for cannabis offenses on the state level if you want to get involved, M-1 says.
If you’ve been listening to dead prez for the past two decades, the group has adopted a strong political tone since day one.
“Since everything is political in my opinion, we have to hold this government and present administration to their promise to release cannabis prisoners,” M-1 says. “It’s imperative that we engage in this fight in every circle we may find ourselves in as most of us have been affected by the unfair imprisonment of so many of our family and community. I have been fortunate to use music and culture and tools to spread our word and raise our platforms.”
Let’s Get Free Concert hosted by Keep Austin Weed takes place in Austin where voters decriminalized cannabis, along with a handful of other cities in Texas. The next step is anyone’s best guess.
“Abolishing prohibition in Texas (and nationally) would be a tremendous victory for our populace. The economic benefit alone would literally be reparations to all of us who have been impacted negatively by this outdated legal system,” M-1 says. “Dead prez will be shouting this message from the stage along with some special guests at the Far Out Lounge in Austin. With a global spotlight on Texas during that time, LPP will have a great opportunity to gain more support.”
Cannabis Prisoners
Richard DeLisi served 32 years of a 99-year sentence for a nonviolent crime. He was released from prison on Dec. 8, 2020. But during his time in prison, DeLisi’s wife and other family members passed away. His daughter was paralyzed, and he missed many memories. At age 71, he was released from prison in Florida, making him the longest-serving, nonviolent cannabis prisoner in the U.S. People like DeLisi deserve to have an early hand in legal cannabis, probably more than anyone.
“First of all—free all cannabis prisoners!” M-1 says. “Welcome home to Mr. DeLisi and I’m so happy to be sharing a space with him to call for more people like him to get what they deserve… Justice!! The Legacy Operators should be the fashioners of what the transition to legal cannabis should look like in order to avoid the bureaucracy that has happened in other states that are attempting to build competent weed policies. Richard DeLisi has a legal cannabis brand named DeLisioso and they are actually the presenting sponsor of the concert.”
Police brutality and general overreach continues to overlap with outdated cannabis laws. In Denton, Texas, for instance, cannabis was decriminalized, but city management and police chose to arrest people anyways.
“I have endured the traumatic experience of law enforcement harassment many times,” M-1 says. “Part of what must be done is to deal with mental health challenges that have arisen around our colonial relationship to the police. I represent a generation of people who have been persecuted for recognizing cannabis as a wellness.”
Join dead prez March 13 at the Far Out Lounge & Stage during SXSW in Austin.
“We will right these wrongs, M-1 says. “Free ‘em All!!
If you want to learn more about the psychedelics industry and the benefits and research surrounding hallucinogenic drugs, all while making lasting connections with like-minded individuals, there’s no better way to do that then by attending an industry-related event. With so many to choose from, it can get a bit dizzying trying to decide which one suits your needs. Your best bet is to attend a few different types of events (research conferences, investment forums, recreational or spiritual based, etc.), to get a broader understanding of the industry as a whole.
To kick off the summer, Zach Leary, son of renowned psychedelic researcher Timothy Leary, is hosting a tight knit event called the Basement Tapes, during which he will share with attendees numerous different never-before-seen videos, documents, and articles that will give the public a much better understanding of psychedelic therapy. Leary is working in partnership with the Psychedelic Institute, a non-profit organization dedicated to spreading knowledge and improving access to “medically-safe and evidence-based” psychedelic therapies.
Who is Zach Leary?
Zach Leary is a podcaster, writer, yogi and advocate for hallucinogenic substances who has played a pivotal role in the psychedelic movement over the last 35 years. After spending some time in the digital marketing sector working with many big-name companies, he experienced a sort of spiritual awakening that led him to following in his father’s footsteps to work more extensively with these healing compounds.
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Zach attributes much of his success in this industry to his primary teacher and mentor, Ram Dass. Leary is now a health and wellness facilitator, student of bhakti yoga, an IFS enthusiast integration coach, and guided session therapist. He also currently runs The MAPS podcast and hosts psilocybin events at the Evolution Retreat Center in Negril, Jamaica.
Zach is also working on his first book, titled “And Now, The Work Begins – Psychedelics in the 21st Century and How to Use Them”, which looks at modern approaches to utilizing psychedelic therapy. It’s scheduled to be published by SoundsTrue Publications in late 2023.
Despite all of these accomplishments, however, he refers to himself more humbly as a “Multi verse resident and seeker of all things mystical”.
Timothy Leary and the psychedelic revolution
Timothy Francis Leary, Zach’s father, was one of the most prolific figures in the psychedelic industry. He was a psychologist and author known for his work and advocacy in the field of psychedelic research, particularly LSD and psilocybin. He was a Harvard lecturer until he got kicked out of the university for conducting experiments using psychedelics, in which officials claimed that he was using psychedelic drugs along with the students – but, if you’re a psychonaut, you can understand and appreciate the importance of having everyone on the same wavelength when using these substances.
The experiment was known as the Harvard Psilocybin Project, and he led this experiment from 1960 to 1963, before getting fired in spring of 1963. It all started after Leary had an eye-opening experience with magic mushrooms in Mexico, and concluded that psilocybin and other psychedelics could be the “solution for the emotional problems of the Western man”.
In 1961, Leary decided to refocus his research a bit and investigate the use psilocybin to rehabilitate inmates and reduce rates of recidivism. This was known as the Concord Prison Experiment, and it ran from February 1961 to January 1963. The test group was composed of young inmates from a maximum-security prison in Concord, Massachusetts.
Although Leary’s Harvard experiments focused primarily on psilocybin therapy, he had developed a strong interest in LSD. He tried it, and began to develop theories and philosophies about how LSD can be used in psychiatry to expand the mind and help patients “discover personal truths” about themselves. After leaving Harvard, Leary really ramped up his public promotion of psychedelic drugs and his popularity grew as a counterculture icon. He was known for creating and popularizing some fun industry catchphrases such as “turn on, tune in, drop out” and “think for yourself and question authority”.
He also wrote and spoke extensively about various transhumanist ideas and concepts such as space migration, intelligence increase, and life extension. Leary also developed what became known as the eight-circuit model of consciousness, which he outlined in his 1977 book Exo-Psychology.
The Basement Tapes
The Basement Tapes consist of numerous rare interviews, lectures and videos of Timothy Leary. These documents have not been seen for over 50 years, as they have been locked up in the New York Public Library archives. You will have the opportunity to learn about Leary’s life and theories, in his own words.
Zach Leary will present the tapes, and share personal stories, provide context, moderate an open discussion and answer as many questions as he can. The event will take place on June 3rd, from 11am to 8pm in Los Angeles, California.
Want to Attend?
We’re certainly very excited for the Basement Tapes event. Coordinators are still working to finalize the venue, so we will update this article as soon as we have that information. As for tickets and pricing, it’s a smaller event so admission will be limited to 200 people max. Tickets cost $249 for general admission and $497 for VIP. Remember to check back here and subscribe to our newsletter for updates on this and other industry events (such as Awaken, also held by the Psychedelic Institute in Los Angeles, taking place on July 28th and 29th.
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Earlier this month, we announced the launch of the High Times Cannabis Cup People’s Edition in Michigan, but now we’re hyping up the West Coast for the return of its own People’s Choice Awards! Welcome to the High Times Cannabis Cup SoCal: People’s Choice Edition 2023, a recreational-only competition celebrating some of the best cannabis products in the region.
The SoCal Cannabis Cup was first introduced in 2015, where it thrived as an in-person event between 2015-2019. Back in 2015, strains like Flower Bomb Kush, True OG, and Amnesia Haze were the cream of the crop, and categories like “Best Booth” and “Best Glass” were still commonplace. The pandemic may have put a halt to in-person events, but the People’s Choice has taken the nation by storm, with a People’s Choice competition held for SoCal in both 2020 (with winners announced in 2021) and 2022. In 2021, huge favorites like Biscotti, Gelonade, and Lemon Sponge Cake took first place, among a varied selection of pre-rolls, edibles, and more. Our 2022 SoCal: People’s Choice Edition was one of the biggest cups so far, with winners such as Top Shelf Cultivation’s Whoa Si Whoa, Sense’s Pink Certz Flower, Wizard Trees’s Studio 54, and Team Elite Genetics’s Pearadise Flower—just a few of the amazing strains that won over our judges.
Fast forward to this year’s High Times Cannabis Cup SoCal: People’s Choice Edition 2023, and we’re expecting another exciting collection of products to experience. With that in mind, here’s the schedule for this year: Product submissions will be dropped off at the Moxie Lynwood facility between May 8-10. Then our official intake partner, Moxie, will build the judge kits and then we’ll transport the kits to all participating High Times and Have a Heart retailers. On May 20, judge kits will officially go on sale! Judges will have between May 21 to July 10 to test out their goodies, submitting their thoughts on product differentiators such as aesthetics, aroma/scent, taste/flavor, effects/effectiveness, and so much more.
According to High Times Director of Competitions Mark Kaz, 2021 was a record-breaking year in terms of participation. “Twenty-one Cups, 339 brands, 1,389 batches of entries, all judged by about 15,000 judges who helped crown 249 award-winners for best products in their state,” Kaz said. “Our industry is going through a tough recession, restrictive regulations, and plenty of other woes, but one thing that’s for certain is that people want to find out who has the best weed, and we’re here to help.”
For companies who want to submit products for this year’s competition, please refer to the following rules.
Entry Categories:
Indica Flower (2 entries max per company)
Sativa Flower (2 entries max per company)
Hybrid Flower (2 entries max per company)
Pre-Rolls (2 entries max per company)
Infused Pre-Rolls (1 entry max per company)
Solvent Concentrates (2 entries max per company)
Non-Solvent Concentrates (2 entries max per company)
Vape Pens & Cartridges (2 entries max per company)
Edibles: Gummies & Fruit Chews (3 entries max per company)
Edibles: Chocolates & Non-Gummies (3 entries max per company)
Edibles: Beverages (2 entries max per company)
Sublinguals, Capsules, Tinctures + Topicals (3 entries max per company)
Entry Requirements:
Flower: (228) 1-gram samples. We will not accept any 3.5-gram entries.
Pre-Rolls & Infused Pre-Rolls: (228) samples: Pre-Rolls will be capped at 2g flower-only each; Infused Pre-Rolls will be capped at 3g flower equivalency or 1g concentrate equivalency each.
Concentrates & Vape Pens: (228) .5-gram samples. We will not accept any 1-gram entries. Batteries required for Carts.
Edibles: (100) samples with 100mg THC max.
Beverages: must be a max of 16 fluid ounces, non-glass containers preferred.
Sublinguals, Capsules, Tinctures + Topicals: (60) samples with 500mg THC max
In terms of submission pricing, competitors should note the entry fees depending on how many products they submit. While one entry is $250, and two entries is $100 per entry (both non-refundable), submissions of three or more entries is a $100 refundable deposit per entry held, which is refunded when all entries are successfully submitted. Finally, if you’d like to sponsor this year’s High Times Cannabis Cup SoCal: People’s Choice Edition 2023 then all entry fees are waived. We also offer multiple tiers of sponsorship, including General, Bronze, Silver, and Presenting Sponsorships.
That sums up the details of our event this year but check out our High Times Cannabis Cup website to view all of the details.
Although the hemp cup doesn’t get quite as much attention as the ever-popular annual cannabis cups, this year might be a bit different as a new product makes its debut in the competition. In the 2023 judge kits (which are available now for purchase), you may be pleasantly surprised to find Amanita Hemp Cup products containing muscimol from Amanita muscaria mushrooms, in combination with popular cannabinoids.
Muscimol, Mushrooms & Amanita Hemp Cup Products
Amanita muscaria, also known as Fly Agaric, or simply, amanita mushroom, is a member of the family of fungi, of the genus Amanita. Although it can be found all over the world today, Amanitas are native to the temperate and boreal regions of the Northern Hemisphere, which includes Europe, North America, and Siberia – where they can be found growing under various types of deciduous and conifer trees, such as birch and pine.
Amanita muscaria are probably one of the easiest to recognize mushroom species. If you play video games (like Mario or Assassin’s Creed) or watch movies (Sonic, Alice in Wonderland, Fantasia, etc.), you’ve likely seen these shrooms at least once or twice. They have round, dome-shaped, red caps with white spots, white gills, and stout, bulky stems.
The active ingredients in Fly Agarics are muscimol and ibotenic acid. Muscimol works by activating the major inhibitory neurotransmitter system, gamma amino butyric acid (GABA). As an inhibitory system, muscimol suppresses the activity of certain neurons in the brain, which is how the psychoactive effects are produced.
The ibotenic acid, which is responsible for the sickness and “toxicity” commonly reported from these mushrooms, converts to muscimol during decarboxylation. Decarbing is a chemical reaction that removes a carboxyl group and releases carbon dioxide (CO2), typically through the application of heat. If amanita products are prepared correctly, then at least 70 percent (preferably more) of the ibotenic acid will become muscimol.
The high from muscimol is not as intense as psilocybin, but fun and therapeutic nonetheless. In my personal experience with gummies, it was a fun yet relaxing experience, somewhat dissociative in nature, with a wonderfully warm and tingly feeling body high, and a bit of auditory enhancement. It’s something I would definitely experiment with more, as I would like to try different products types and doses.
The Amanita Hemp Cup Products
Screenshot from https://hthempcup.com
Apart from the expected items like vape products, flower, edibles, tinctures, and so on, all make from hemp-derived cannabinoids, and interesting addition in this year’s competition will be gummies and pre-rolled joints containing muscimol combined with HHC, Delta 8 THC, and CBD.
I could not find a great deal of information on these products, most likely because they are keeping things lowkey while the judge kits are still for sale. However, this is what I was able to find on the amanita/cannabis products that will be in the 2023 Hemp Cup:
In the psychoactive box, you will find: “25 mg HHC” gummies “dipped in Amanita muscaria mushroom chocolate”, prerolls containing “Amanita pantherina powder blended with organic indoor hemp flower, 250 mg total”, and delta 8 hemp flower “infused with Amanita muscaria powder coating on the outside, 500 mg total”.
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With the addition of amanita compounds, all of these products are considered “psychoactive”, even the CBD flower joints. All of these products are new to the market, so as far as effects go, it’s hard to say how that combination will work. In my personal experience, cannabis works well with just about everything, including muscimol, so I’m curious to learn more about the effects of combining specific cannabinoids with the mushroom extracts.
Be a part of history by trying out the latest Cannadelic additions to the 2023 High Times Hemp Cup – the new Amanita HHC gummies and Amanita HHC joints, both featuring psychedelic mushrooms. High Times has never before included these types of products in their hemp cup, making this a groundbreaking event.
Of particular interest are the more potent offerings, such as the Amanita HHC Amanita gummies and the Amanita D8 joints. The HHC gummies stand out for two reasons: they feature HHC (hexahydrocannabinol), a simplified version of THC, and they’re a rare combination of gummy and chocolate.
If you want to participate in the High Times Hemp Cup: People’s Choice Edition 2023, and offer your thoughts on the products in this year’s competition, it’s as easy as clicking here, and buying one of the seven available judge kits that are listed on the website.
Unlike the market-specific competitions, the Hemp Cup kits will be available for online ordering in all 50 states. Judges will have until April 2nd to explore their kits and test out the various different products received. They will fill out questionnaires and submit their responses, which will be tallied up in time for the cup that takes place on April 16th.
The kits range in price from $229 to $249, and they are selling fast so make sure to get yours with enough time to thoroughly test out the products and submit your judgements. Some highly anticipate products come from icloud, the hemp doctor, mellow fellow, and psilomart.
We’re very excited about the inclusion of amanita mushroom products in the High Times Hemp Cup. If you’d like to learn more about the products in this year’s competition, you can buy still buy a judge kit, but your best bet is to subscribe to our newsletter, as we will have some of these products available for a discounted price. If you’ve tested out any of these items already, drop us a line in the comment section below and let us know what you thought of them!
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Handblown glass competitions, new product launches and an unparalleled counterculture legacy are what make CHAMPS one of the premiere B2B events. And the Las Vegas winter show is the proverbial jewel in the glittering crown of cannabis trade shows. CHAMPS 2023 ran from February 8-11, and while the temperature outside was cold, inside the glass-blowing competition was hot.
Snoop Dogg with his new brand, Death Row Cannabis. PHOTO Dabsel Adams / CHAMPS Trade Shows
Two thousand booths selling cannabis products, vapes, pipes and other consumption devices gave the 16,000 attendees plenty to look at. Celebrity guest appearances from Mike Tyson, Snoop Dog, Trailer Park Boys, several pro football players and pro wrestlers Rick Flair and Floyd May Weather Senior drew large crowds around their respective booths. One of the show’s enduring highlights, the Glass Games, attracted an impressive crowd, and over $100,000 in cash and prizes were awarded to the talented artists. Pipe Raider by California’s Adam Whobrey, otherwise known as Hoobs Glass, took home the coveted first place and $20,000 in prize money.
A genuine sense of community among the vendors and attendees is a testament to the show’s longevity and continued relevance in today’s ever-changing industry. The overall atmosphere inside the Las Vegas Convention Center was fun, friendly and informative.
“The love and comradery on the show floor was amazing,” said Jeff Hirschfeld, founder and owner of CHAMPS. “I had multiple retailer buyers tell me that CHAMPS Trade Shows have helped them keep their doors open and remain vibrant and profitable. It brought tears to my eyes!”
Masters Finals winner “Pipe Raider” by Hoobs Glass. PHOTO D MiLL / CHAMPS Trade Shows
Stand Out Brands from CHAMPS 2023
But the real MVPs of the 2023 Vegas CHAMPS were brands that are striving for true innovation and pushing legalization forward. As we walked the aisles, the creativity emanating from all the different booths fought for our attention. Here, five stand-out brands from the 2023 CHAMPS trade show share their thoughts on the trade show—and the future.
Grav
Headquartered in Austin, Texas, Grav has been creating high-quality borosilicate smokeware for nearly two decades. Founder David Daily is regarded as one of the true innovative pioneers of the glass industry. He began making pipes in 2004 and attended his first CHAMPS back in 2005 on the recommendation of one of his raw glass suppliers. Back then, Daily says, there were only 100 booths. It was very close to Operation Pipe Dream—the DEA sting that put Tommy Chong in jail—so people were nervous about being seen promoting the industry.
Daily decided to take the risk. He remembers looking around the tables of bongs and thinking, “Oh my god, this is where I’m supposed to be.” He sold into hundreds of smoke shops from that first trade show, putting Grav on the map.
“It’s not a stretch to say that CHAMPS made my company,” Daily says. “It would have taken me much longer to figure out how to get distribution in this in this network without the CHAMPS trade show.”
Daily’s favorite thing about CHAMPS is the people. “Smokeshop owners are literally the most amazing entrepreneurs on the planet,” he says. “They’re resilient and they’re smart.”
Stiiizy
A few Stiiizy team members show off product. PHOTO Dabsel Adams / CHAMPS Trade Shows
Regarded by many as one of, if not the cannabis lifestyle brands in California, Stiiizy strives to influence, inspire and innovate. The company launched its new hemp line at CHAMPS because, as Stiiizy Hemp President Nathan Jo says, “Who does it better than CHAMPS?”
“CHAMPS has been an ongoing dominant show in the space where it brings buyers from every angle with corresponding businesses,” Jo says. “It’s such great timing for us to enter into the hemp space.”
Stiiizy’s new hemp products are available coast to coast and stay under the THC limit stipulated in the 2018 Farm Bill.
Octave
Octave is an LA-based high-tech hardware company that designs and manufactures some of the most cutting-edge cannabis gadgets in the world. The company also makes hardware for some of the largest brands in the space and has collaborated with Cookies, MotherShip Glass and Stiiizy.
“The energy was amazing,” says Davis Clayton Kiyo, Octave’s founder and CEO. “It was our best tradeshow yet.”
Kiyo demonstrated his futuristic cannabis gadgets, including the Battpak, a 10,000 mAh portable battery pack with a secret button that opens to reveal a magnetic rolling tray, wallet area and a strap for your joints, blunts, carts and more.
When asked what’s next for Octave, Kiyo revealed that he’s “working on some flower tech that we believe will disrupt the industry.”
Packwoods
Packwoods is a premium pre-roll blunt company known as one of the first brands to use glass filters in their products to ensure customers enjoy a smooth draw from the first to the last. Founded in 2018, Packwoods has built a strong, loyal customer fanbase with unique hand-rolled blunts that deliver consistent, quality experiences.
“CHAMPS is always a good show,” says Anthony Capone, owner and CEO of Packwoods. “We’re venturing out of the cannabis THC space into other products including hemp wraps, cone filters, delta-8, delta-9 and delta-10, which gives us the ability to spread the brand worldwide. CHAMPS has been a big supporter of our journey.”
Capone says “global expansion” isn’t far off. Currently, Packwoods’ products are available in California, Washington, Nevada, New Mexico, Arizona, Oklahoma, Michigan and Florida, with New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Illinois launches coming soon. Plus, Packwoods will soon be available in Israel. “We’re starting up in Israel, and Canada is on the horizon,” Capone says. “We’re also selling our HHC and delta products all over Europe.”
G-Rollz
G-Rollz is an Amsterdam-based smoking accessories company that collabs with the most popular artists to create practical and stylish products. During CHAMPS 2022, G-Rollz approached Aziz Panjwani, founder of Toro Imports, one of the original smoke shops in Texas, to distribute its products.
“G-Rollz is a family-owned company and we’re a family-owned company,” says Aziz’s son, Aaziel. “It just clicked.”
“I love CHAMPS; it’s the best,” Aziz says. “You get to make good connections; it’s good for networking. My dad has been here for years—probably since the beginning. I’ve only been here seven times.”
Next Up
If you didn’t make it to Las Vegas, there are more CHAMPS trade shows taking place across the country. Check out the list below and visit champstradeshows.com for details.
Welcome to the Cannadelics Sunday Edition, our weekly newsletter sent to our readers every Sunday morning with the leading stories of the week. This week the main articles were about Mass layoffs in Cannabis industry, Psychedelics funding, Global Mushrooms Legality, Psychedelics events, Cannabis use disorder, Drunk experiences, drugs in Cuba and more
In addition the main stories of the week, each newsletter also includes three attractive deals, from our Deal Of The Day section. As always, the best Cannabis and Psychedelics offers are reserved for our subscribers, so subscribe hereor use the sign-in form below.
Keep yourself updated with the latest Cannabis & Psychedelic stories, such as the global mushrooms legality and more: Subscribe to our newsletter
The Cannadelics Sunday Edition (2/5/2023) – Psychedelic Funding, Global Mushrooms Legality, Cannabis Industry Mass Layoffs, and more
Hi,
Welcome to the Cannadelics Sunday edition, going out every Sunday with the top stories from the cannabis and psychedelics industries. This week we have a mixed bag of stories as well as a few deals from our deal-of-the-day segments.
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This week we have a pretty even mix of both cannabis and psychedelics news. A few popular topics explore psychedelic funding, global amanita muscaria legality, cannabis industry struggles and mass layoffs, and more. Scroll down for these articles and many others!
One of the trending developments over the last year, is the newfound level of growth and acceptance of psychedelic drugs. One way to determine this growth is by looking at how many states and cities are updating legislation. Another way is by seeing how much money is being raised by different companies and investors. Spoiler alert, it’s a lot… read on to learn about the exact figures.
Global mushrooms legality: With Amanita muscaria mushrooms growing in popularity, especially during the last couple of months, many people are wondering if they’re legal to possess in their region. Luckily, in most cases the answer to this is a resounding yes, since only a handful of areas have any type of legislation against these shrooms. But if you live in one of the following five places in the world, then you’re out of luck on buying them legally.
As the world grows increasingly eager to learn more about psychedelic drugs and their healing properties, we’re seeing a sharp rise in related events where industry professionals can gather with inquisitive consumers to discuss all the most important aspects of this budding market. We’ve already covered some of the more anticipated events going on in the U.S. this year, and now we’re following up with the top 5 global psychedelics events taking place in 2023.
If you read about drugs often, you’ve probably come across the terms “psychoactive” and “psychedelic” quite frequently. Although many publications use them interchangeably, that is incorrect and there are some key differences between the two. The broadest way to describe it, is that all psychedelic drugs are psychoactive, but not all psychoactive drugs are psychedelic.
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The general consensus on cannabis has always been that it’s not really addictive. And that’s definitely true to an extent; we can say without a doubt that it’s not physically addictive and does not cause any type of illness or symptoms of withdrawal when someone stops using. That being said, can it be mentally addictive? That’s what the medical community aims to answer by exploring the possibility of “cannabis use disorder”.
There are hundreds of different types of alcohol, and many people swear that certain types of liquor produce different types of drunk effects. For example, one that immediately comes to mind is tequila. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve heard someone say that tequila makes them ready to fight. On the flip side, many believe that whiskey offers an extra-confident drunk experience. Some will argue that there’s no logic behind this, that it’s simply the amount of alcohol within the drinks and the speed at which you metabolize them. But maybe there’s more going on here.
One surefire way to know if there are problems within in industry is by looking at the hiring patterns. When an industry is doing well, more jobs open up and salaries improve. When an industry is struggling, jobs are lost and pay gets cut. For several months, mass layoffs have been going on in the cannabis industry, signaling major problems with few possible solutions.
Cuba is a beautiful, underrated, and very misunderstood country. This country hosts every type of terrain one could imagine, making it perfect for hiking, camping, and wildlife photography. There are some amazing beaches to lounge at and soak up the scenery. And if you want to get a feel for 1950s American cars, then Cuba is the perfect place for a vacation. However, if you’re the type of person who likes to get high on vacation, then this little island is a place you may want to avoid.
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Finding legal psychedelic products is not an easy task, as most of them are illegal to buy or to use. However, while Psylocibin-based magic mushrooms are only making their first steps to become legal, Amanita Muscaria mushrooms are already 100% legal. These great legal mushrooms offer you a safe entry to to the world of psychedelics.
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We hope you enjoyed this week’s review. We work hard to find and verify the best products, so we may include affiliate links to support the maintenance and development of this site.
Best, The Cannadelics team
*** Disclaimer: As the legality of cannabinoids and psychedelics changes between state to state, you should always check with your local authorities first.
We’re excited to see the product lineup as it begins to develop, but we’re even more excited to announce that we have pumped our number of categories to 20 this year—that’s three more categories than last year! This year we welcome the expansion of Solvent Gummies and Non-Solvent Gummies to the Edibles categories. We’ve also expanded our Medical categories as well to include Medical Concentrates and Medical Infused Pre-Rolls, but you can check out the whole list in its entirety here:
Entry Categories
Rec Indica Flower (4 entries Max per Company) (State-Licensed Adult-Use)
Rec Sativa Flower (4 entries Max per Company) (State-Licensed Adult-Use)
Rec Hybrid Flower (4 entries Max per Company) (State-Licensed Adult-Use)
Rec Pre-Rolls (3 entries Max per Company) (State-Licensed Adult-Use)
Rec Infused Pre-Rolls (2 entries Max per Company) (State-Licensed Adult-Use)
Rec Solvent Concentrates (2 entries Max per Company) (State-Licensed Adult-Use)
Rec Non-Solvent Concentrates (2 entries Max per Company) (State-Licensed Adult-Use)
Rec Distillate Vape Pens & Cartridges (2 entries Max per Company) (State-Licensed Adult-Use)
Rec Non-Distillate Vape Pens & Cartridges (2 entries Max per Company) (State-Licensed Adult-Use)
Rec Edibles: Solvent Gummies (3 entries Max per Company) (State-Licensed Adult-Use)
Rec Edibles: Non-Solvent Gummies (3 entries Max per Company) (State-Licensed Adult-Use)
Rec Edibles: Non-Gummies (3 entries Max per Company) (State-Licensed Adult-Use)
Rec Sublinguals, Capsules, Tinctures + Topicals (3 Entries Max per Company) (State-Licensed Adult-Use)
Medical Indica Flower (4 Entries Max per Company) (State-Licensed Medical-Facility)
Medical Sativa Flower (4 Entries Max per Company) (State-Licensed Medical-Facility)
Medical Hybrid Flower (4 Entries Max per Company) (State-Licensed Medical-Facility)
Medical Pre-Rolls (4 Entries Max per Company) (State-Licensed Medical-Facility)
Medical Concentrates (4 Entries Max per Company) (State-Licensed Medical-Facility)
Medical Infused Pre-Rolls (4 Entries Max per Company) (State-Licensed Medical-Facility)
Medical Edibles (3 Entries Max per Company) (State-Licensed Medical-Facility)
Can’t wait to get started? Neither can we! Participation for the High Times Cannabis Cup Michigan: People’s Choice Edition 2023 begins on between March 20-30 as the window for submissions. Just in time for 4/20, we’ll have kits available starting on April 15 at participating locations. We’ll give our honored judges just over two months to properly sample and review all of the submissions in their kit, with a deadline of June 25. Finally, just a few weeks after that, we’ll announce the winners on July 9.
Winners receive the coveted High Times Cannabis Cup trophy, a longtime symbol of quality in the cannabis community. It was designed by Alex and Allyson Grey, made from zinc and 24k gold plating.
Judges will analyze the products in their kits through a variety of criteria. For Flower, Pre-rolls, Vape Pens, and Concentrates, judges will take note of a product’s aesthetics, aroma/scent, taste/flavor profile, burnability, effects/effectiveness, and terpene profile. Edibles have a slightly different list of considerations, including packaging and labeling. Finally, Topicals, Tinctures + Capsules judges are asked to review the “ease of use” in addition to other criteria.
Because the competition includes both recreational and medical products, the entry requirements differ slightly. From maximum weight limits on products and number of units submitted, we highly recommend that interested participants who want to submit their products adhere to the following requirements:
Entry Requirements
Recreational:
Flower: (228) 1g units. We will not accept any 3.5g entries.
Pre-Rolls & Infused Pre-Rolls: (228) units. Pre-Rolls will be capped at 2g flower-only each.
Infused Pre-Rolls will be capped at 3g flower-equivalency or 1g concentrate-equivalency each by METRC equations.
Concentrates & Vape Pens: (228) .5g units. We will not accept any 1g entries. Batteries required for Carts.
Edibles: (100) units with 100mg THC max.
Sublinguals, Capsules, Tinctures + Topicals: (60) units with 500mg THC max.
Medical:
Flower: (228) 1g units. We will not accept any 3.5g entries.
Pre-Rolls & Infused Pre-Rolls: (100) units: Pre-Rolls will be capped at 2g flower-only each.
Infused Pre-Rolls will be capped at 5g flower-equivalency or 5g concentrate-equivalency each by METRC equations.
Concentrates & Vape Pens: (100) .5g units. We will not accept any 1g entries. Batteries required for Carts.
Edibles: (100) units with 200mg THC max.
The cost of entry is set at $250 for one entry and $100 each for two (both non-refundable); for entries of three or more, it’s $100 each but the deposits per entry are refundable. If you’re interested in sponsoring the event, there are varied levels of sponsorship including Presenting Sponsorship, Silver Sponsorships, Bronze Sponsorships, and General Sponsorships.
Michigan really came out of the gates strong at last year’s Cup, so we can’t wait to see what these local brands bring to the table this year.
A huge thank you to our official intake partner Green Pharm.
Twenty-one Cups, 339 brands, 1,389 batches of entries, all judged by about 15,000 judges who helped crown 249 award-winners for best products in their state. Our industry is going through a tough recession, restrictive regulations, and plenty of other woes, but one thing that’s for certain is that people want to find out who has the best weed, and we’re here to help.
As a refresher on the new model, the Cannabis Cup People’s Choice concept opened up the competitions to a whole new world of possibilities. Switching from having a small pool of hand-selected judges, the People’s Choice model allowed consumers from all walks of life and palette types to be a judge. Now with up to 228 judge kits per category, judge kits are no longer reserved only for the Snoop Doggs and Frenchy Cannolis of the world (RIP Frenchy).
Ever seen people waiting in line for that new Supreme drop? You’ll find the same thing when the judge kits drop. Each Cannabis Cup consists of anywhere between 1,800-3,300 judge kits available across the state via hand-selected dispensaries that get a rush of consumers ready to grab their bag. With categories ranging from Indica Flower to Sativa Flower, Non-Solvent Concentrates to Edibles, and Topicals to Tinctures, there is something for every cannabis enthusiast. Judge kits come packed with products submitted into the Cup from brands well-known and obscure, all in hopes that judges will score them highest on Aesthetics, Aroma, Taste, Effects, Burnability, Terpene Profile and other criteria. Most importantly, we gather detailed comments from all judges, or at least the caring ones, on their experience – all impactful for the growers and processors to see what people truly, and anonymously, think. If you haven’t been a judge in the past because you were never selected, now is the time to get in on the action. Visit CannabisCup.com/Preregister to get updates.
Courtesy High Times
To many’s surprise, we started the year off in one of the most bustling cannabis markets, the state of Michigan. During 4/20 week, from Detroit to Ann Arbor, Kalamazoo to Crystal Falls, crowds of judges lined up early to be the first to get their hands on their judge kits, which varied between 17 different categories including medical and recreational products. With 3,300 judge kits, this was the biggest Cannabis Cup in history. I spent 26 cold days in Detroit for this one. Local community favorite, LocalGrove, came back with first place wins in several Flower categories with their Runtz and Brain Stew, while newcomers FLWRPot and Society C slid in to take home 1st place wins for Tropicanna Cherry under Rec Hybrid Flower and Spritzer under Rec Indica Flower, respectively. We saw the infamous CannaBoys come out from the darkness to win Best Medical Pre-Rolls and Rec Non-Infused Pre-Rolls with their Zhits Fire Cannonz, while fresh collabs stole the Concentrates show including Pro Gro x Element plus Glorious Cannabis Co. x Superior Solventless. Afternoon Delite, KIVA, Binske, Church x Pressure Pack, Pro Gro, and Hypha all came home with 1st place trophies.
Returning to our backyard here in California, we brought together 150 entries across 57 brands that came in with unique strains and product types for our judges. Thanks to our 7 High Times dispensaries, plus Green Dragon shops, we had 2,000 judges voting across 11 categories. Top-Shelf Cultivation returned with 1st Place trophies for Indica Flower and Pre-Rolls for their Whoa-Si-Whoa strain, while Team Elite Genetics and SENSE took 1st in Sativa and Hybrid flower, respectively. Jeeter, Bear Labs, PAX, Sensi, Bhang, Mari Y Juana, Dr. May, and Kan-Ade are amongst the 1st Place winners as well. Honestly though, there are too many great cultivars in CA that aren’t competing and simply letting other people take home the gold. We’re hoping to change that.
We ventured off into the mountains of Colorado in June to see who’s been bringing the fire since our last Denver Cup in 2020. High Level Health kept their streak going with 1st Place Indica Flower, Hybrid Flower and Solvent Concentrates, while Veritas took 1st Place Sativa Flower. I have to give a nod to D’Z Trees Honolulu Choo Choo which took 2nd Place Sativa and kept me running like a train during this laborious 3-week process. The AKTA Tropicanna Banana Live Rosin was a huge fan favorite; taking home 1st Place Non-Solvent Concentrates. High Country Cones, Nectar Bee, Evolab, Mountain Select, Smokiez, Incredibles and Escape Artists joined the 1st place podium as well.
Excited to return to my Midwestern stomping grounds (I lived in Cleveland for 5 years), we ran the 3rd-ever Cup in Illinois, launching it with a small judging session at the RISE Consumption Lounge in Mundelein where judges came together as a community to smoke and discuss terpene profiles of each entry. Highly-regarded Fig Farms expanded into the state this year and took home 1st Place Sativa Flower, while behemoths Rythm and RevCanna took home 1st in Indica Flower and Hybrid Flower, respectively. RevCanna won several awards including 1st Place for Concentrates with their Gorilla’d Cheese Rosin which one judge describes as “Hands down the most potent and volatile terpenes in the kit” while another judge claims “The smell is so weird it may polarize a household worse than the 2020 election.” Other 1st place trophies went to Nature’s Grace and Wellness, Superflux, Mindy’s, Verano Reserve, Beboe, Incredibles and Bedford Grow.
Courtesy High Times
Next up, we froze our butts off and explored the beautiful ranges of the Last Frontier up in Alaska, where the sun was shining until 10:30pm everyday. No MSOs, just local craft cultivators putting their hearts into their products. High North was a huge standout with all of their flower, but their Black Koffee takes the cake for Indica Flower. One judge noted that “The robust dark roast flavor comes through smoothly” and “the aches and pains drift away as you melt into the surroundings.” I’ll take some of that please. AM Delight and Flower Mountain Farms respectively brought home trophies for Sativa Flower and Hybrid Flower, while the highly sought-after Refine Alaska wowed judges with their Royal Gorilla Loud Resin for first place. GOOD Cannabis, Enlighten Extracts, Einstein Labs, Dosed Edibles, and Great Northern Cannabis were amongst the 1st place winners as well.
Last Cup of the year, but not least, the Commonwealth called us back for the 2nd annual Cannabis Cup in September. People in Massachusetts are very discerning and don’t take kindly to bullshit; it was very apparent in their judging comments. That said, Happy Valley powered a winning streak with Hybrid Flower, Sativa Flower, Beverages and Sativa Gummies, while Northeast Alternatives brought in 1st Place Indica Flower for their Runtz OG. First place trophies also went home with Treeworks, Triple M, Munchèas by GGG, Smokiez, Incredibles, Sticky Fish as well as Church x Pressure Pack.
Courtesy High Times
The Cannabis Cups are for consumers to learn about all of the products they have access to and to determine who is the best of the best in their state. They’re also for the brands to learn more about their customer base and improve their products so that consumers get what they deserve. We will continue to plan and execute Cannabis Cups in territories where it’s legal, and continue to shine a light on the Cannabis Cup-winning brands around the world in 2023 and beyond. Thanks to everyone involved in each and every one of these Cups.
To see all Cannabis Cup People’s Choice winners and upcoming competitions, visit CannabisCup.com. Interested in competing? Email Competition@hightimes.com Interested in Judging? Sign up for updates at CannabisCup.com/Preregister Stay tuned on social media @hightimesmagazine
