High Times has announced the highly anticipated return of the legendary Cannabis Cup. With judging kit sales launching Friday, Nov. 7, at select New York City partner dispensaries, the Cup will be the first edition held in the Empire State and the first event of its kind since recreational cannabis was legalized in New York in 2021. Unlike previous years, the 2025 Cannabis Cup is exclusively an open judging process, featuring kit drops at participating retailers across the state.
The relaunched Cup format touts transparency through its consumer-judged “People’s Choice” award format. Submissions opened on Oct. 10, with New Yorkers voting Nov. 7 through Jan. 7 for top products across a wide range of categories.
“The Cup is BACK, baby, and this time, the power is back to the people and consumers are the judges,” said Josh Kesselman, Publisher of High Times and the founding force behind RAW® Rolling Papers. “It’s like we’re going on tour, rolling into markets the Cup hasn’t hit before while having fun and celebrating the plant, the people and the pure joy of getting lifted together. We’re not just bringing it back… we’re taking it higher and elevating human consciousness.”
Launched in the late ‘80s by High Times, the Cup has long stood as the global benchmark for cannabis quality and innovation. The New York launch will be the first major event under the stewardship of Matt Stang and his Cannabis Cup team. In this iteration, the Cup is being reimagined for a new era—one where consumers themselves crown the best in cannabis.
While the Cup historically relied on 28 to 35 expert judges, the format has evolved into crowdsourced rankings, offering up to 228 kits per category in statewide competitions across the country. This shift now forms the foundation of the Cup’s new era.
“As …
Read More
Author: High Times / High Times
