One rally, the Boston Freedom Rally, quickly became the largest marijuana-related political event in the country, drawing an audience of over 30,00 to the Boston Common in 2013. In 1988, under Hager’s leadership, the magazine created the Cannabis Cup, a cannabis awards ceremony held every Thanksgiving in Amsterdam that later expanded to a number of U.S. cities. Hager became the first editor to publish and promote the work of hemp activist Jack Herer. In 1987, High Times was audited by the Audit Bureau of Circulation as reaching 500,000 copies an issue, rivaling Rolling Stone and National Lampoon.
With the legalization of marijuana in several West Coast states, including California, the magazine announced in January 2017 that it would permanently relocate from New York to Los Angeles. Founded in 1974 by Tom Forçade, the magazine advocated the legalization of cannabis and related counterculture ideas, eventually expanding to include the media divisions High Times Books and High Times Records. In the period 2010–2013, the magazine put out a standalone publication that advocated for medical marijuana. Hager was rehired, first as the creative director,citation needed and then in 2006, back to the position of editor-in-chief, but by 2009 he had returned to the role of creative director. In 2003, Steven Hager was fired, and High Times’ board of directors shifted the magazine’s focus from marijuana to more literary content, hiring John Buffalo Mailer as executive editor. He also formed the High Times Freedom Fighters, the first hemp legalization group.citation needed The High Times Freedom Fighters were famous for dressing up in Colonial outfits and organizing hemp rallies across the United States.
Book publishing
- Forçade was quoted as saying, “Those cavemen must’ve been stoned, no pun intended.”citation needed
- Jack Herer’s groundbreaking advocacy was championed by Hager as the magazine’s inaugural editor.
- The first issue, 50 pages in total, with the tagline, “The Magazine of High Society,” appeared in the summer of 1974.
- In 1987, High Times was audited by the Audit Bureau of Circulation as reaching 500,000 copies an issue, rivaling Rolling Stone and National Lampoon.
For a time, William Levy served as the magazine’s European editor. Josh Kesselman was featured on Forbes’ fifth-annual Cannabis 42.0 list on April 17th 2026, ‘celebrating the entrepreneurs, innovators and disruptors who are finding success in the state-regulated cannabis market’ for his work as High Times’ publisher. Josh Kesselman, founder of RAW, bought the publication for $3.5 million in June 2025, relaunching the podcast as High Times with Josh Kesselman in September.
High Times was at the beginning funded by drug money from the sale of illegal marijuana, But the magazine found an audience, becoming a monthly publication with a growing circulation, and the staff quickly grew to 40 people.when? High Times covers a wide range of topics, including politics, activism, drugs, education, sex, music, and film, as well as photography. Hightimes Holding Corp. acquired THC and the magazine in 2017; financial difficulties forced the magazine to cease publication in 2024.
In 1998 Edison was named the magazine’s publisher, and later took control of the editorial side of the magazine as well. In 1997, the magazine and Hager founded the Counterculture Hall of Fame, with inductions held annually on https://brithighthc.com/ Thanksgiving as part of the Amsterdam Cannabis Cup event. In 1991, the magazine began featuring celebrities on the cover of the magazine. The magazine advocated for the widespread use of hemp in the 1990s, publishing a quarterly magazine called Hemp Times and operating a retail location in Manhattan called Planet Hemp. Under the editorship of Larry Sloman (from 1979 to 1984), the magazine consistently struggled against marijuana prohibition laws, and fought to keep itself alive and publishing in an anti-cannabis atmosphere. The magazine’s first editor was Ed Dwyer, who had earlier written the text of the Woodstock music festival program booklet (as well as the Woodstock film program booklet).
Magazine Covers featuring the High Times x Pulsar Beaker Water Pipe – 10.5 inches / 14mm F
Andrew James Parker, a.k.a. Chewberto420, is a cannabis photographer and author, based out of the Western United States (predominantly Huntington Beach, California and Pagosa Springs, Colorado), who has made contributions to the magazine since 2016. In 1996 he stepped aside to launch and oversee the High Times website, and left the magazine for good in 2000. She later returned to High Times, serving as the magazine’s managing editor until 2001 and then again from March 2006 to January 2007. Bobby Black had a long association with High Times, from 1994 to 2015, including being a senior editor and columnist. In 1976, Bruce Eisner became a contributing editor for the magazine.
Green Rush Daily founder Scott McGovern joined the magazine as senior executive vice president. In October 2014, the magazine celebrated its 40th anniversary with a party attended by celebrities such as Susan Sarandon. The video series asserts that Michael Kennedy stole the company from the rightful employees and subverted the original mission for his own private gain. Hager subsequently released a 20-part series on YouTube, titled The Strategic Meeting, showing the internal machinations inside the company. Starting in 2002, the Stonys presented the Thomas King Forçade Award for “stony achievement” in film. In November 1999, the magazine held a 25th Anniversary party at Irving Plaza, with performances by Cypress Hill.
Beyond its influence within the cannabis community, High Times has also played a pivotal role in advocating for marijuana legalization on a broader scale. With a bold and unapologetic approach, High Times quickly became the voice of the counterculture movement, advocating for the legalization and decriminalization of marijuana. From 2014 to 2016, Tsarfin was High Times’ director of digital media. Financial difficulties forced the magazine to cease publication in 2024.
Mainstream success and the Hager era
High Times acquired cannabis media company Green Rush Daily, Inc. on April 5, 2018. Hager was again let go by the magazine in 2013, eventually successfully suing High Times for defrauding him of his ownership shares in the company. As a result, the magazine “lost a third of the circulation in nine months.” Mailer left the magazine within a year—a succession of editors followed, including David Bienenstock, Rick Cusick, and Steve Bloom. In 2000, the magazine established the Stony Awards to recognize and celebrate notable stoner films and television episodes about cannabis. After taking the magazine to new heights in sales and advertising, Edison was instrumental in producing High Times’ first feature film, High Times’ Potluck. As editor and publisher, he caused a furor among staffers by putting Black Sabbath singer Ozzy Osbourne on the cover, and then leaking to the New York Post’s Page Six gossip column that thousands of dollars of pot had gone missing from the photo shoot.
History of publication
A collective of visionaries—including Forçade, Rex Weiner, Ed Dwyer, Robert Singer, A. J. Weberman, Dana Beal, Ed Rosenthal, underground artist Yossarian (Alan Shenker), and Cindy Ornsteen (Anastasia Sirocco)—led the brainstorming sessions for *High Times*’ debut issue. Though Forçade’s earlier syndicate effort—through the Underground Press Syndicate/Alternative Press Syndicate—had fallen short in engaging a broad countercultural readership, his network of influential writers, photographers, and artists had remained steadfast. To boost sales, the magazine frequently showcased women on its covers, sometimes dubbing them “Ms. High Times.” Renowned literary figures such as Hunter S. Thompson, William S. Burroughs, Charles Bukowski, Allen Ginsberg, and Truman Capote were among the writers the magazine proudly featured. By fostering education and public discourse, *High Times* reshaped perceptions of marijuana, laying essential groundwork for today’s legalization movements. Through scientific experimentation, he stumbled upon a rare variant of cannabis-infused purple hash derived from anthocyanins.
In keeping with the era’s cultural shifts, *High Times* began highlighting cocaine as a recreational substance in its coverage. After Forçade’s passing, his relatives and attorney Michael John Kennedy assumed primary control of the magazine. Forçade had been a longstanding ally of NORML since its establishment in 1970. A significant portion of the magazine’s revenue came from hydroponics growers, who formed its core advertiser base. Advertising slots for the first issue had already been secured at the National Fashion and Boutique Show that year.
Originating as a monthly publication, *High Times* became a defining force in American cannabis culture. The cover of the inaugural *High Times* issue (Summer 1974) featured model Elizabeth Donoghue. Tracing *High Times*’ legacy reveals its influence transcended cannabis, leaving an indelible mark on broader cultural and political landscapes. As a pioneer in activism, *High Times* drove key initiatives and gave marginalized voices a vital platform.