History is being rewritten, as we speak, in the Land of Enchantment and now that the results are in, we’re announcing the winners of  the High Times Cannabis Cup New Mexico: People’s Choice Edition 2023 representing the best cannabis the state has to offer. And while the pandemic reshaped the way we think about in-person events, we’re back and stronger than ever. In fact, it’s our first live event in three years.

This year, the High Times Cannabis Cup New Mexico: People’s Choice Edition 2023 aired live and we also had a top-notch live event with a slew of iconic performers. High Times teamed up with New Mexico’s own Fusion Promotions and 101.3 The Hustle to present the Cannabis Cup’s live concert event.

The Awards Show aired live and in-person at the event which took place at the Rio Rancho Events Center in Rio Rancho, near Albuquerque on Saturday, Dec. 9. The Rio Rancho Events Center is an 6,000-seat multi-purpose arena and Saturday will be filled with the best herb and products in New Mexico.

This year featured 11 categories for a total of 33 products narrowed down as first, second, or third place winners for 2023. Many enter the competition, but few are chosen. Each of these winners received an exclusive High Times trophy. Among these top winners you’ll find champs like The Grower Circle, hvst, Seed Junky, Prohibition 37, Mountaintop Extracts, and many more fine brands that deserve to be mentioned. 

Headlining the event was the iconic stoner duo Method Man and Redman, responsible for some of the best hip-hop to come from Def Jam, who were joined by Paul Wall, Devin the Dude, Lil Flip, Haizi Haze, Jawny Badluck, DJ Aldo Caldo and other special guests.

The event kicked off with the High Times New Mexico Cannabis Cup Award Show, where brands were presented with their wins. But with all this fine herb, the munchies are bound to kick in. That’s why we had Q Bone, Snoop Dogg’s own personal chef whip up some of Snoop’s best munchie recipes.

We also had Mr. Melty Land, an immersive experience put together by Mr. Melty, Stashbox and Disopopages. You could also find a Joint Rolling Competition by Head Space Alchemy and Crescent Valley Management where guests competed for the title of “Best Joint Roller.” On top of that, we had live glass blowing demonstrations, and tons of vendors with the new-new products you need.

Individuals who are 21 and over, or 18 and over with a medical cannabis card were eligible to snag a judging kit. Over 2,000 ordinary cannabis lovers sampled and rated the best cannabis products in the state with more than 185 entries competing for the wins. The highly-coveted Judge Kits included locally-grown products including flower, gummies, pre-rolls, and concentrates from dispensaries across New Mexico. Below are the winners of first, second, and third places across 11 categories.

Indica Flower

First Place: The Grower Circle – Homage

Second Place: hvst – Chocolate Grapes #4

Third Place: Enchanted Botanicals – Donny Burger

Sativa Flower

First Place: The Grower Circle – Trop Cherries

Second Place: Prohibition 37 – Tropical Runtz

Third Place: Seed Junky – Pineapple Fruz

Hybrid Flower

First Place: hvst – El Chivo #11

Second Place: Seed Junky – Purple Push Pop

Third Place: The Grower Circle – Oreo Cake

Non-Infused Pre-Rolls

First Place: The Grower Circle – Trop Cherries Pre-Roll

Second Place: Prohibition 37 – Red Runtz 51 Pre-Roll

Third Place: HoneyHole Cannabis Co. x Impact Farms – Lemon Hashplant Pre-Roll

Infused Pre-Rolls

First Place: Head Space x hvst – Purple Octane x Kush Mintz Hash Hole

Second Place: Mountaintop Extracts – Nuclear Sunset Infused Pre-Roll

Third Place: TWAX by The Clear – Lemon Haze Mini Infused Pre-Rolls

Solvent Concentrates

First Place: Herbal Edibles & Extracts – Orange Flambe Sauce & Diamonds

Second Place: Pharmers – Orange Soda Live Diamonds

Third Place: Mountaintop Extracts – Concord Clementine Caviar

Non-Solvent Concentrates

First Place: Sandia Botanicals – Olio Slurricane Solventless Rosin Cold Cure

Second Place: Nero – Golden Crisps Live Hash Rosin Cold Cure Badder

Third Place: Frozin – Grape Galette Fresh Frozen Rosin

Vape Pens

First Place: Elevated – Watermelon OG Cartridge

Second Place: O.Pen – Daily Strains Strawberry Cheesecake Vape

Third Place: Bloom – Classic Pineapple Express Disposable

Edibles: Gummies & Fruit Chews

First Place: Flight Bites – Sunset Punch Hash Rosin Gummies

Second Place: Derived – Sandia 1:1 Gummies

Third Place: Elevated – Strawberry Gummies

Edibles: Non-Gummies & Chocolates

First Place: Toasted – Honey I’m Stoned Infused Honey

Second Place: Elevated – Fruity Cereal Snack Bar

Third Place: Bhang – Ice Milk Chocolate Bar

Edibles: Topicals, Tinctures, Capsules, Sublinguals

First Place: Mountaintop Extracts – Wonder Bear Salve

Second Place: Dos Gringos Cannabis – Pain Relief Salve

Third Place: Synergy Extracts – Soothing Salve

A special thank you to our partners and sponsors!

Presented by: Elevated

Gold Sponsor: Enchanted Botanicals Cannabis

Gold Sponsor: Stash Box

Silver Sponsor: Fioré

General Sponsor: Bloom

General Sponsor: Dispopages

General Sponsor: Blown Glass Goods

Partner: The Hu$tle 101.3

Partner: Fusion Promotions

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Discover why they call New Mexico “The Land of Enchantment” with these activities that are geared more for smoker-friendly tourists seeking a magical adventure. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed legislation to legalize adult-use cannabis in New Mexico in 2021. Even though adult-use cannabis is legal in New Mexico, there are still laws in place regulating cannabis from seed to consumption.

Speaking of cannabis, the High Times Cannabis Cup New Mexico: People’s Choice Edition 2023 is scheduled to take place Dec. 9 at the Rio Rancho Events Center in Albuquerque, with a headlining act from the iconic duo, Method Man and Redman. It’s here that anyone can be the judge to determine the best weed New Mexico has to offer.

Below we list must-see attractions in New Mexico that will keep you busy during your stay in the desert dreamland, where you can see the stars in the sky and get a taste of Southwestern art.

International UFO Museum and Research Center in Roswell

Ufologists agree that Roswell is one of the top UFO hotspots on the planet. In 1947, an unidentified craft crashed into the ground in Roswell, and wreckage from a “flying disc” was recovered on the property of a local rancher. Local, typically credible papers ran with the story. The most logical first stop is the International UFO Museum and Research Center, and the tourist traps around it.

The Georgia O’Keeffe Museum 

The Georgia O’Keeffe Museum is ground zero for the artist’s finest work with a collection of 3,000 pieces including 140 oil paintings, 700 drawings, and hundreds of other works. O’Keeffe was known for her powerfully direct approach to expressing the divine role of females, and she experimented with peyote. The Georgia O’Keeffe Museum  located a few blocks northwest of the Santa Fe Plaza in downtown Santa Fe.

Gila Cliff Dwellings

Nomads used the caves above Cliff Dweller Creek as temporary shelter about 1,000 years ago. In the late 1200s, people of the agricultural Mogollon (Southern Ancestral Pueblo) culture settled there, built rooms, crafted pottery, and raised children in the cliff dwellings for one or two generations. By approximately 1300, the Mogollon had moved on from the Gila Cliff Dwellings.

The Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi

Santa Fe is a very old city, especially by American standards. In 1598, the Spanish declared Santa Fe “New Spain” initially. While most of The Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi was built in 1886, an older church used to exist on the same site, built in 1626, but was destroyed in the 1680 Pueblo Revolt. Catholic or not, this cathedral has history. 

New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science

The New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science in Albuquerque offers a fun and interactive experience. The museum’s new hall, titled Ancient Life, features hundreds of never-before-seen fossils. The Planetarium has a 55-foot Sky-Skan Definiti, full-dome theater which is great for edibles.

Four Corners Monument

Here you can stand in New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, and Colorado—simultaneously. The location is marked by a granite and brass plaque and surrounded by flags representing the tribal nations and states that share the region. At the site, you’ll find vendors selling homemade jewelry, pottery, crafts, and art. The cost to visit this monument is $5 per person.

Sandia Peak Aerial Tramway

Got a fear of heights? According to Trip Advisor, Sandia Peak Aerial Tramway is the state’s number one tourist destination. The tram takes visitors 2.7 miles and 10,378 feet up the Sandia Mountains. You can witness views of over 11,000 square miles of New Mexico from that vantage point.

Taos Pueblo

Taos is home to art galleries, hot springs, spellbinding scenery and excellent skiing opportunities. Most notably, Pueblo adobe dwellings that have lasted over 1,000 years. In Taos, visitors can choose between several museums: The Millicent Rogers Museum, Taos Art Museum at Fechin House, and the Kit Carson House & Museum.

Bandelier National Monument

With ruins that date back to 1150 CE, the Bandelier National Monument provides 33,000 acres of beautiful landscape, showing off New Mexico’s incredible natural wilderness. This includes homes carved into soft rock. You can see historical relics from the ancestral Pueblo tribes who built structures in the area for thousands of years.

Petroglyph National Monument

Petroglyph National Monument is home to nearly 25,000 petroglyphs, 90% of which are believed to have been drawn by ancient Pueblo people. Many of the meanings behind the petroglyphs is unknown. Drivers will have to pay $1 per vehicle on weekdays and $2 on weekends. 

White Sands National Park

Forget the Sahara Desert: White Sands National Park is a stunning dune-filled region located within the Tularosa Basin and it happens to be home to the earth’s largest gypsum dune field. More than 73,000 acres of white sand stretch out all the way to the horizon. 

Carlsbad Caverns National Park

Carlsbad Caverns National Park is home to over 100 limestone caves. You can choose between two underground trails, The Big Room Trail and the Natural Entrance Trail. The former is the most popular route, taking visitors through one of the largest cave chambers in North America. You can witness 400,000 Brazilian free-tailed bats exit the cave in search of food each evening. 

Chaco Culture National Historical Park

Yet another Pueblo site, Chaco Culture National Historical Park was given its name in 2013 . No permanent outdoor lighting exists in order to protect nocturnal wildlife and the natural rhythms of humans and plants that depend on an unaltered night sky. Within the park, visitors can see evidence of the huge structures built by the Ancestral Pueblo people between 850 and 1250 AD.

High Times Cannabis Cup New Mexico: People’s Choice Edition 2023

Or you can attend the High Times Cannabis Cup New Mexico: People’s Choice Edition 2023.

A live awards show is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 9 at the Rio Rancho Events Center in Albuquerque. The event will be headlined by Method Man and Redman, who will be joined by Devin the Dude, Paul Wall, Haizi Haze, and Lil’ Flip. New Mexico’s own will judge the cannabis and products that will prove their worth.

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The Land of Enchantment is about to get a lot more enchanting with this extra special announcement. The pandemic may have temporarily put a halt to in-person events and concerts, but High Times is extremely proud to announce that New Mexico will be the location of our first in-person People’s Choice Cannabis Cup celebration.

In March, we announced the arrival of our High Times Cannabis Cup New Mexico: People’s Choice Edition 2023. We typically hold digital award shows to celebrate each of our Cannabis Cup winners—but not this time. Not only is this the first High Times Cannabis Cup People’s Choice Edition to be held in New Mexico, but on Monday, September 4, it will also be the very first live and in-person awards event since the pandemic.

This event is co-produced by High Times, Fusion Promotions, and 101.3 The Hustle.

Join us for a thrilling in-person awards ceremony at the Rio Rancho Events Center and be the first to see which New Mexico cannabis products impressed the judges. Even better, we’re partnering up with Method Man and Redman to welcome in New Mexico’s first Cannabis Cup winners in our High Times Cannabis Cup Hall of Fame with a live performance as well.

To attend this monumental live event, those who purchase a New Mexico Cannabis Cup judge kit will receive a 30% discount on live show tickets (which can be applied to two tickets). 

Ticket presale dates have already begun, and end on Friday, June 23. In order to redeem the discount, attendees must call the Rio Rancho Event Center Box Office at (505) 891-7319, and provide the 14-digit code on the right side of the judge kit coupon. 

High Times Cannabis Cup New Mexico: People’s Choice Edition 2023 judge kits are available now through Aug. 20 while supplies last. Potential judges can seek out a judge kit at a variety of exclusive judge kit retailers, including Pecos Valley locations (also our intake partner), Enchanted Botanicals Cannabis, Urban Wellness, Higher Purpose Apothecary, Prohibition 37, Purlife, and Wheeed! but you can find plenty of details for each participating location at CannabisCup.com.

Our goal is put the spotlight on some of the best cannabis products available in the state of New Mexico. Our very own High Times VP of Events Mark Kazinec explained to local New Mexico news source KOB 4 that the Cannabis Cup is a celebration of cannabis for everyone. “Anybody from the OG growers who know how to talk about terpene profiles, to the soccer moms who are trading their glass of wine for a joint at the end of the night. We want their comments, their feedback,” Kazinec told KOB 4.

The High Times Cannabis Cup New Mexico: People’s Choice Edition 2023 is presented by Elevated, and supported by our Gold Sponsor: Enchanted Botanicals Cannabis, Silver Sponsor: Ghost., Bronze Sponsor: GH-Labs, and General Sponsor: Mountaintop Extracts (also named one of High Times’s 22 Best Brands of 2022).

2023 is gearing up to be a memorable year for the High Times Cannabis Cup People’s Choice Edition so far. 

In January we announced the return of the High Times Cannabis Cup Michigan: People’s Choice Edition, with winners set to be announced soon on July 9. This follows the Michigan People’s Choice Edition competition we held in 2021 and 2022. 

In March we also announced the return of the High Times Cannabis Cup SoCal: People’s Choice Edition with a digital awards stream set for July 24. In Southern California we’ve had a long and proud history of Cannabis Cups, three of which were People’s Choice Edition competitions in 2021 and 2022.

Finally and most recently in May, we announced the High Times Cannabis Cup Oregon: People’s Choice Edition 2023, with winners being announced later this year on Oct. 9. Check out what brands won at our previous People’s Choice Edition competitions in 2021.

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High Times will bring together buds, business, and bowling at this year’s Biz Bash 4.0, an official after-party for MJBizCon to be held at the Brooklyn Bowl in Las Vegas later this month. With a special performance by Redman & Method Man, this year’s event promises a night of music, partying, and fun for those attending the cannabis industry’s biggest trade show.

Billed as “the most anticipated after party during MJBizCon week,” the High Times Biz Bash 4.0 is sponsored by Zig-Zag, the iconic rolling paper brand that has helped stoners stay high for decades. The event will feature a brand activation by LED grow light leader Spectrum King and a special welcome by UltraTrimmer, a manufacturer of state-of-the-art bud trimmers for commercial cannabis growers.

High Times plans to pack the Brooklyn Bowl with fun for the anticipated 1,500 party-goers, who are promised a night of networking, bowling, and musical performances. Mark Kazinec, High Times director of competitions and events, said that this year’s event will be one of the highlights of the cannabis industry’s annual gathering in Las Vegas.

“We’re thrilled to bring back the High Times Biz Bash as an official afterparty of MJ Biz Con. We have Method Man & Redman performing which will fill our event with cannabis enthusiasts from all walks of life to bowl, eat, drink and be merry,” said Kazinec. “We’ll find top cannabis executives, retail buyers, brand marketers, and the heady crowd that’s sure to be rolling up donuts outside. We always fill up the venue, so get yourself a guaranteed bowling lane or get there early, otherwise stand outside wishing you did!”

MJBizCon is the cannabis industry’s premier trade show, bringing together brands, professionals, investors, and other members of the cannabis industry each year just steps away from the infamous Las Vegas Strip. This year’s conference includes a keynote address from hip hop icon and cannabis mogul Berner, co-founder and CEO of the Cookies cannabis and lifestyle brand. Chris Walsh, CEO of MJBiz, will also deliver his traditional “State of the Industry and Predictions for 2023” address on Wednesday, November 16. Other notable speakers for 2022’s event include Nancy Whiteman, co-founder and CEO of cannabis edibles company Wana Brands; Peter Caldini, CEO of Acreage Holdings; Toi Hutchinson, president and CEO of the Marijuana Policy Project; and Troy Datcher, CEO of The Parent Company.

“MJBizCon is a great place to collectively support each other and the industry as we look to brighter days ahead. We will capitalize on emerging opportunities, learn from new powerhouse states like New York and New Jersey, and build on momentum coming out of federal changes to come,” Walsh said in a statement on this year’s event. 

Founded in 1974, High Times has grown from an underground magazine exploring marijuana and its surrounding culture into a global brand with a leading print, digital, and multimedia presence in the evolving cannabis industry.

The High Times Biz Bash 4.0 will be held from 8:00 p.m. to midnight on Thursday, November 17 at the Brooklyn Bowl in The Linq Promenade, 3545 South Las Vegas Boulevard in Las Vegas. Tickets are available from Eventbrite. MJBizCon 2022 kicks off on Tuesday, November 15 and wraps up on Friday, November 18 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

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Hip hop icons Redman and M1 of Dead Prez will join cannabis activists in Washington, D.C. on Monday to protest the Biden administration’s failure to release people imprisoned on federal marijuana convictions. The rally, which is being billed as an act of civil disobedience, will bring together cannabis policy reform groups including Students for Sensible Drug Policy, D.C. Marijuana Justice, the Last Prisoner Project and Maryland Marijuana Justice as members protest in front of the White House on October 24.

Steve DeAngelo, a cannabis policy reform leader and co-founder of the Last Prisoner Project, said that he has helped organize Monday’s demonstration to bring attention to the plight of those imprisoned on nonviolent marijuana charges, often for decades. Activists hope the protest will spur the White House to take action on cannabis clemency before the November general election.

“As the nation heads into the midterms, I am calling for one simple thing— that President Biden keep the promise he made during the last election cycle, to release those people still serving prison sentences for cannabis convictions,” DeAngelo wrote in an email to High Times. “As the White House itself has admitted, the recently announced pardons will not free one single person.”

On October 6, President Joseph Biden announced that he had issued an executive order pardoning all people who have been convicted on federal charges of simple marijuana possession. An analysis of Biden’s executive order conducted by the New York Times estimated that the pardons will apply to about 6,500 people convicted of federal weed possession charges between 1992 and 2021 and thousands more with similar convictions in Washington, D.C. But the action provides no relief for cannabis prisoners currently behind bars, most on marijuana distribution and related charges. 

“At a minimum, if President Biden really wants the support of cannabis voters, as a show of good faith, he should immediately release at least 100 of the 2800 federal prisoners currently serving time on non-violent cannabis charges,” DeAngelo said. “If President Biden refuses to act, I will gather at the White House on October 24 along with hip hop legends M1 and Redman, and hundreds of other cannabis activists, to hold the President’s feet to the fire.”

M1 said, “I decided to participate in this action because of the inaction of this government to step on the right side of his/herstory. My cannabis community deserves freedom and justice. And with my cultural activist comrades, we will keep our finger on the pulse of the People. Free ‘em ALL!”

Biden Administration Exploring Rescheduling Cannabis

Biden’s announcement earlier this month also included a call for governors to take similar action on cannabis clemency at the state level. The president also directed Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra and Attorney General Merrick B. Garland to review cannabis’ status as a Schedule 1 drug. Despite the historic nature of Biden’s pardons, activists argue that the president did not go far enough.

“I’m outraged that the President would make an executive action on cannabis but release zero of our incarcerated friends and family,” Kat Ebert, board chair of Students for Sensible Drug Policy, said in a statement from the group. “He’s forcing us to raise our voices to be heard in order for the wider public to understand cannabis prisoners are still not free. On October 24th we plan to make it clear to the Democratic leadership that we won’t accept mostly symbolic actions. We demand clemency for all cannabis prisoners.”

DeAngelo is the co-founder of the Last Prisoner Project, a group working to free those imprisoned on cannabis charges. In addition to the activist groups involved, formerly incarcerated individuals and local cannabis freedom fighters will also take part in the protest.

“If President Biden truly wants to repair the harms of our nation’s unjust policy of prohibition, this initial progress must be followed up with bolder action—action that would actually lead to freedom for cannabis prisoners,” said Sarah Gersten, LPP executive director and general counsel.

Monday’s demonstration is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. local time at the gates of the White House, with Redman and M1 slated to appear to join the call for cannabis clemency. The crowd will gather at the Andrew Jackson statue in Lafayette Square before engaging in expected civil disobedience nearby, with the goal of drawing attention to the lack of people released from federal prison as a result of Biden’s executive order.

“DCMJ is joining protests to free all cannabis prisoners because we’ve simply waited too long,” said Adam Eidinger, co-founder of D.C. Marijuana Justice, a group that has spearheaded cannabis policy reform efforts in the nation’s capital. “We are excited that students are leading this effort to make tangible gains on freeing cannabis prisoners whose continued confinement is immoral and unjustified.”

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The throwback buds came from Harlem-based legacy seller Branson, who helped lay the groundwork for modern pot culture and commerce.

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