A battle of the buds gets underway Saturday in Alaska, as High Times magazine’sHigh Times bills itself as “the most globally recognized brand in cannabis,” after starting its counterculture magazine nearly 50 years ago, and says its Cannabis Cup is a continuation of the competitions held in Amsterdam starting in the 1980s.
Now, though, it’s possible to hold the competitions legally in the United States — some of them, anyway. High Times Director of Events and Competitions Mark Kazinec says Alaska, as the second state to legalize recreational use of marijuana in 2015, with its now-robust cannabis industry, is a great place for a competition.
And as an outside observer, Kazinec says there are some unique and interesting things about the cannabis industry here.: Yeah, I think Alaska has an amazing market. It’s still developing, which is great, because the MSOs, the multi-state operators, the huge, you know, Walmarts of the cannabis industry, haven’t attacked Alaska yet.