COVID-19 has put a damper on many plans when it comes to events and gatherings. Many cannabis events that were scheduled have either been postponed and rescheduled or turned into a virtual format. However, Illinois is celebrating a milestone as the High Times Cannabis Cup has officially kicked off there for the first time ever. The High Times Cannabis Cup has held legendary status taking place from Oregon to Amsterdam, and everywhere in between where cannabis is legal. This event has attracted numerous celebrity judges such as the legendary cannabis activist, comedian, author, and business owner Tommy Chong, and the Hip Hop legend Snoop Dogg as judges. In a different twist from previous events, High Times is having the PUBLIC be the judge instead of celebrities.
This year’s cannabis cup is divided into 8 categories to include edibles, concentrates, vape pens, and flower. It is said that each category could have as many as 12 entrees producing 200 kits per category with kits ranging upwards of $300 each. These kits were made available at only 6 select dispensaries throughout the state of Illinois. The new method of letting the public be the judge seems to have gone over very well. Locations that sold judging kits for the High Times Cannabis Cup were said to have lines going out the door with customers trying to get their hands on one. According to many business owners throughout the state, it was the best day of business sales they had had since legal recreational sales began on New Year’s Day.
Participants took the opportunity to score the judging kits for many reasons. Some just wanted to participate in being a judge of a High Times Cannabis Cup. Others like Nicole Vaughn, who is a medical cannabis patient from Wonder Lake were looking to score kits to find out what would be the best strain to help her treat nerve damage sustained from an automobile accident a few years back. Participants are expected to give cannabis products and strains the proper attention by judging them while clear-headed and sober as to best judge their overall effects and quality. To announce the results of these testing kits, High Times has scheduled a digital streaming awards ceremony to take place on September 26th at 4:20 pm local time.
The High Times Cannabis Cup is a legendary event that started back in 1988 in Amsterdam. Participants worldwide have brought the absolute best of the best of cannabis to be judged and awarded at this cup throughout the years. Today, it may seem like you’re hearing about a cannabis cup here in the United States all the time and making it natural for many to assume that they have been going on here for quite some time, but that is not the case. It wasn’t until 2010 that High Times hosted the very first cannabis cup in the US. Since this milestone, cannabis cups have been held in Michigan, Oregon, Colorado, California, Oklahoma, and now, Illinois. 2014 was the last time that a cannabis cup was held in Amsterdam. After 27 years, Amsterdam decided to no longer host the High Times Cannabis Cup because of the uncertainty surrounding Dutch laws pertaining to the beloved plant.
But not everyone is sparking a bowl and celebrating freedom. Those who oppose cannabis legalization see the cannabis cup as a marketing ploy to intoxicate the masses. Some people don’t realize that those who support this plant are going to medicate and utilize it regardless of what somebody else thinks. It’s sad that people still look at cannabis as a street drug instead of the incredible medicinal plant that it is.
The lies of decades of cannabis prohibition have brainwashed millions. Some actually believe cannabis is a harmful drug with no medicinal value whatsoever. This is extremely sad because the proof is out there and anyone who can read can take a few minutes and review countless research documents published on the NCBI regarding cannabinoid therapies and their effectiveness. If that’s not enough, look at the thousands, if not millions, of consumer reports showing the miracles cannabis has accomplished for people worldwide. Men, women, and children who have been told they were on the verge of death have been given a second chance at life thanks to this plant. It’s time to wake up and remove the stigmas and wrongdoings of the past.
Cannabis prohibition was built on a foundation of lies. As educated individuals today, we need to address these lies and fix them accordingly. Countless lives have been destroyed by prohibition. It’s great to see the state of Illinois having the freedom to celebrate what so many American citizens support, and unfortunately many still do not have legal access to. Remember while all these festivals are fun, there are thousands of men and women still incarcerated and being arrested to this very day for doing the same thing that’s being celebrated legally in Illinois. It is time that we come together to end cannabis prohibition and free each and every victim of this deadly war against a plant. Power to the people and plants!
Never really was a fan of the high times stuff but I like this idea of the people voting
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