When Kyle Copac lights up, he’s not just smoking; he’s reflecting on decades of cannabis culture, change, and persistence. “This is our latest batch of Lemon Cherry Gelato,” he says, explaining how certain strains feel like old friends you always come back to.
That sense of continuity runs through Copac’s story. Raised in Alabama, where cannabis was deeply stigmatized, he never saw a live plant until he was nearly 20. Instead, his first glimpses came through High Times magazine. “High Times had a huge role in influencing my decisions,” he recalls. “I’d read about people like Eddie Lepp, Dennis Peron, and Kyle Kushman; those guys were idols to me.”
High Times as a Gateway
Like many, Copac’s introduction to cannabis started in high school, thanks to an older brother’s friends. He remembers its impact clearly. “I found it incredibly helpful for ADHD. If you’re having a hard time focusing, it can feel like a miracle drug,” he says. But acceptance was far from guaranteed. “My parents definitely didn’t condone it. It was all sneaking out back then.”
That tension, in the plant as medicine versus the weight of stigma, pushed him toward advocacy. “It’s not like you’re doing drugs,” Copac says. “You’re taking advantage of natural alternative medicine. That was a main driver for me early on: wanting to see cannabis become socially accepted.”
After high school, Copac packed up and headed west. Northern California’s Proposition 215 medical program gave him a legal foothold to cultivate, and High Times acted like a guidebook. “I’d see who was winning Cups, read their stories, and try to follow their lead,” he says.
For a young grower, the magazine was proof that cannabis could be both community and career. “Seeing people like …
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Author: Kyle Rosner / High Times
