Ready to prove you’re a real Michigan weed connoisseur? High Times needs your help

Michiganders will soon have a chance to crown cannabis royalty—and smoke a whole backpack filled with weed.

MICHIGAN—Do you think you have what it takes to judge the best weed in Michigan?

High Times is calling on all Michiganders to step up and prove they can separate the dank from the skank by serving as an official judge in this year’s Cannabis Cup competition, in which stoners from across the state can decide which Michigan brands are churning out the best flower, pre-rolled joints, concentrates, vaporizer pens, cannabis-infused edibles, and more. 

Anyone and everyone can join the action this year—and it comes along with a backpack filled with weed for any adult who is willing to spend the cash at their local dispensary this summer. 

What’s the deal?

Since the late 80s, the High Times Cannabis Cup has served as the ultimate competition of the world’s best weed. The contest was first held in the United States in 2010 and as more states have legalized weed over the years, it has evolved into a state-by-state showdown.

How does it work?

This summer, some of Michigan’s most acclaimed cannabis companies are submitting a variety of products to be judged in a variety of different categories—including best edibles, best indica, sativa, and hybrid flower, best infused and non-infused pre-rolled joints, best solvent and solventless concentrates, and best distillate and non-distillate vaporizer pens and cartridges. 

How do I participate?

Mark your calendars. 

The real action kicks off on Aug. 9 when judge kits are distributed to be sold at dispensaries across Michigan. These kits—essentially backpacks filled with weed—serve as your chance to become the ultimate cannabis critic, smoking and reviewing about a dozen different products.

Like in previous years, thousands of judging kits are set to be available at participating Michigan dispensaries. They’ll range in price depending on the category, with pre-rolled joints usually being the cheapest option at about $100 and solventless concentrates often topping $300.

An official list of categories, prices, and participating dispensaries has not yet been released. But because House of Dank is the lead sponsor this year, the judging kits are almost certainly going to be available to purchase at all 11 of the company’s dispensaries in Michigan. 

What should I expect?

The Cannabis Cup is more than just a contest. It’s a full-blown celebration of cannabis culture.

Every year, a vibrant mix of stoners, growers, and industry professionals all come together to showcase and sample the finest weed Michigan has to offer—and then collectively decide on which cannabis products are truly offering a superior level of quality, flavor, and potency.

High Times will tally up the scores in October, and then announce the winners in November.

Unlike previous iterations of the Cannabis Cup, this year’s competition is exclusively for rating recreational products—with no separate categories expected for medical marijuana products. 

Want to learn more?

Aspiring judges will want to keep their eyes glued to High Times’ social media pages for details on how to snag a judging kit this year. More details will be released over the coming weeks. 

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