CURRENT EVENTS

People’s Choice: Nevada


Judge Kits available October 29
Winners announced December 19
Click Here for Details

People’s Choice: Illinois


Judge Kits available September 10
Winners announced in December – Date coming soon
Click Here for Details

Cannabis Cup
People's Choice Edition

In the face of COVID-19 with events being forced to shutter across the globe, High Times once again proved it’s resilience despite state-wide lockdowns across the country, and has reinvented it’s renowned competition to let all those at home get in on the fun and crown the region’s best.

For the first time ever, High Times is opening up it’s judging process to members of the public via exclusive kit drops in participating retailers. While normally 28-35 expert judges would alone determine the rankings, the competition has pivoted into crowdsourced rankings, offering 228 kits per category to consumers in state-wide competitions across the country.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the High Times Cannabis Cup People's Choice?

The People’s Choice Editions are a new model that will continue High Times’ trend of bringing its signature series of cannabis product competitions online in the wake of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, without any live events or gatherings. These Cups will be the first-ever Cannabis Cups that are open to the public in each state that the competition is executed, and will see the largest pool of judges in history. For licensed brands, this is a sampling dream to get your products into the hands of hundreds of new customers who will provide feedback on your entries from home, plus thousands of impressions. May the best products win!

When is the High Times Cannabis Cup People's Choice?

The People’s Choice Cups are featured all over the country in states where cannabis is recreationally or medicinally legal. If we haven’t announced one in your state yet, we’re working on it! All Cups will be listed on CannabisCup.com. Dates and locations will be provided for both licensed brands to drop product off for Intake, and for consumers to pick up judge kits at dispensaries to become a Judge. As a reminder, there is no live event, vendor booths, or tickets.

What are the categories for the People's Choice Cups?

The categories for each Cup may differ, but they typically include some of the following:
1. Indica Flower
2. Hybrid Flower
3. Sativa Flower
4. Sungrown Flower
5. Pre-Rolls (Infused and Non-Infused)
6. Solvent Concentrates
7. Non-Solvent Concentrates
8. Vape Pens and Cartridges
9. Edibles: Gummies
10. Edibles: Non-Gummies
11. Topicals, Tinctures, Capsule

How do I become a participant in the Cup?

You may participate by either being a licensed cultivator or processor and enter product, or you may be a judge and purchase a kit of product to judge. Please send us a note at CannabisCup.com/contact.

How much product does it take to enter the Cup?

Each Cup is different and may require different types and quantities of product per category. Please reach out to CannabisCup.com/contact to request a list of guidelines for each active Cup.

What does it mean to be a judge?

We want great judges who will take the time to fully score all products by the deadline of each competition and give detailed comments on Aesthetics, Aroma, Taste, Effects and other qualities of each product. The growers put their hearts and souls into making these products and we expect the same from our judges. Upon purchasing a Judge Kit, inside of the backpack is a scorecard with a link and access code to the High Times Judging Portal. You will record all scores into the portal for each sample entry. You may post content of judging to your social handles for a chance to be featured and reposted by High Times! We will also pick out great comments from great judges and read them off during the Award Show. Please keep your scoring confidential until the results are announced.

How do I know if I'm chosen to be a judge?

You do not need a confirmation email or an invitation! People’s Choice is open to everyone who can legally purchase cannabis in their state and is sold on a first-come first-serve basis. We will reach out to you if there is a reason we cannot allow you to judge. Otherwise, set a reminder to head to your nearest participating dispensary upon the on-sale date!

How much does a judge kit cost?

For People’s Choice Editions, Judge kits will be priced based on the quantity of product that is entered into each category and may range in price per kit from $100-$300 depending on category and how many items are in that category-specific bag, plus the High Times Cannabis Cup Judge Backpack. For example, if Indica Flower gets 14 entries, the kit will cost about $140 for a High Times curated assortment of (14) 1g samples from the top growers in the state. We strive for below-market pricing so you always get a deal. We will know the amount of product and pricing per kit once Intake is over for each Cup.

Where are kits sold?

High Times will partner with a select few dispensaries in each state to be the exclusive retailers of the High Times Judge Kits. We will release the retail dispensary addresses and dates for pick-up once they are confirmed for each state. Stay tuned on our social media channels @hightimesmagazine and on CannabisCup.com for more info.

High Times
Cannabis Cup

The HIGH TIMES Cannabis Cup is the world’s leading cannabis competition, festival and trade show, celebrating the world of ganja through competitions, instructional seminars, expositions, celebrity appearances, concerts, product showcases and more, not to mention fun activations like tie-dye paint-dipping your arms or riding a big slide stoned. Hosted in states that have legalized medical and recreational marijuana, the Cannabis Cup stands as the foremost gathering place for the cannabis community to network and celebrate. The competitions identify and award the best brands and products around the world, helping to shine a light on the people who have put their hearts and souls into their craft.

Founded in Amsterdam in 1988 by former High Times editor Steve Hager, The Cannabis Cup has evolved into a globally recognized championship of the best cannabis products in the world. A competition judged by industry experts, newcomers to cannabis, and everyone in between, the competition ranks entries as measured by the judges’ scores, and crowns the top three products per category, with the top spot earning the coveted Cannabis Cup trophy.

Although it’s evolved many times—from in-house underground judging in Amsterdam in the late 80’s/early 90’s, to the first American Cups focused solely on medicinal products, to the limelight-driven expert-led competition of today—the Cannabis Cup has moved through the ebbs and flows of the industry, and from prohibition to recreational legalization remains the title prize for producers in the game.

Typically these awards would culminate in one of the brands high-profile Cannabis Cup events—a touring festival type celebration that brings hundreds of cannabis brands in to provide attendees a deep dive into the magical world of marijuana, as well as performances from world-class musical talent like the Wu Tang Clan or Nas, to celebrate the winners of the competition, as well as rally around the communities favorite plant. These events have helped spread legalization and fight the ‘stoner’ stigma for decades, and have helped open the minds of millions.

The past three decades of these awards have created lasting economic impact for it’s winners. Receiving the Cup has propelled brands into the stratosphere, and taken strains from the unknown into household names—simply put, the most commonly known strains in the world have generated their reputation from winning this contest.

The High Times Cannabis Cup trophy is designed by Alex and Allyson Grey, and crafted by Society Awards, the premier designer and manufacturer of prestigious and televised awards. They produce trophies for the world’s most famous artists, brands and corporations, including MTV, Billboard, NBC’s The Voice, Academy of Country Music and Dancing with the Stars, among many others.

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