High Times has announced its New Jersey Cannabis Cup with judge kit sales launching on Wednesday, March 25th at select cannabis dispensaries.
The relaunched High Times Cup recently returned to New York City in February.
Jersey consumers and patients who buy kits can vote through the traditional cannabis holiday of 4/20 for top products across a wide range of categories.
“We’re taking the massive success of the New York Cannabis Cup and rolling that energy straight into New Jersey,” said Josh Kesselman, Publisher of High Times and the founding force behind RAW® Rolling Papers. “What we saw in New York proved something powerful. When you put the judging back in the hands of the people, the whole community shows up. … Bringing that spirit to the Garden State is going to be awesome.”
Creating the New High Times Cup
The New York Cannabis Cup, which just celebrated with an awards ceremony on February 7. It was the first major event under the stewardship of Kesselman and High Times Co-Owner Matt Stang and his Cannabis Cup team.
High Times Cups previously relied on 28 to 35 expert judges.
Now the format has evolved into voting rankings. There will be 228 kits per category for sale and voting.
“Seeing the Cannabis Cup come back to life in New York, a completely new market, was incredibly special, and now we get to keep that momentum going in New Jersey,” said Matt Stang, Co-Owner of High Times. “The Cup has always been about bringing the community together and celebrating the best products in the market. Launching this next chapter in the Garden State is another big step …”
NJ High Times Cannabis Cup 2026 Details
According to them, each judge kit includes over 100 official competition entries from 50-plus brands. It also has a physical scorecard and a link to the official Cannabis Cup Judging Portal.
Participants can score products on aesthetics, aroma, taste, effects, and overall quality. Scoring remains confidential until the winners are officially announced.
“Good cannabis doesn’t need hype. It needs tasters. This Cup puts hundreds of them on every entry and gives brands the kind of feedback you can build on,” said High Times Editor-in-Chief Javier Hasse.
NJ Dispensaries Selling High Times Cannabis Cup Judge Kits
Judge kits will be available for purchase at the following dispensaries:
- Aunt Mary’s-Flemington
- Authorized Dealer Dispensary-North Bergen
- Authorized Dealer Dispensary-Jersey City
- Authorized Dealer Dispensary-Willingboro
- BestBuds-Woodbury
- Bridge City Collective Dispensary-Somerset
- Cannabist-Vineland
- Conservatory Cannabis Co.-Egg Harbor Township
- Daylite-Mt Laurel Township
- Doobiez West-Milford
- High Rollers Dispensary & Lounge-Atlantic City
- High Street Dispensary-Hackettstown
- Highway 90-Marlboro
- Honeygrove-Clementon
- Honey Stash-Metuchen
- Honorable Plant Wildflower Market, The Next Chapter-Tinton Falls
- Honorable Plant, Wildflower Market, The Next Chapter-Highlands
- HudHaus-North Bergen
- Jester’s Joint Dispensary-New Brunswick
- Joyleaf-Roselle
- NJ Leaf-Freehold NJ
- Northeast Alternatives-Hamilton Township
- Organic Farm-Camden
- Premo-Keyport
- Scarlet Reserve Room Dispensary-Englishtown
- Shore House Canna, LLC-Cape May
- Simply Pure Trenton-Ewing Township
- THC Shop-Atlantic City
- The Village-Hoboken
- Twisted Hat Cannabis-Carney’s Point
- Unity Rd-Somerset
- URB’N Dispensary-Newark
- Valley Wellness-Raritan
NJ High Times Categories
- Indica Flower
- Sativa Flower
- Hybrid Flower
- Pre-Rolls
- Infused Pre-Rolls – Indica
- Infused Pre-Rolls – Sativa
- Infused Pre-Rolls – Hybrid
- Solvent Concentrates
- Solventless Concentrates
- Solvent Vape Pens & Cartridges
- Solventless Vape Pens & Cartridges
- Edibles – Gummies
- Edibles – Non-Gummies
- Edibles – Beverages
Key Dates NJ High Times Cup Dates
- Friday, March 25, 2026: Judge Kits On Sale
- March 25, April 20: Judging Timeframe
- April 20, 2026: Judging Deadline
- May 1, 2026: Winners Announced
NJ Cannabis Awards Shows
There have been a few New Jersey Cannabis Cups so far. Everyone has a different method of judging and a different type of events.
The official Cup method is buying judging kits at dispensaries.
The 4/20 Expo was also affiliated with Honey Grove (which Heady NJ has had ad deals full disclosure). However, that convention didn’t occur in 2025.
The Best in Grass 2025 show happened last year using the same method of selling kits spearheaded by a former High Times staffer. They plan to do it again this year.
The 2025 MJ Unpacked Cup was judged by expert cannabis Ganjiers.
(Heady NJ has an ongoing ad deal with MJUnpacked May 5-8th in Atlantic City, full disclosure.)
NECANN held a Cup award shows too in 2025.
In addition, Josh Alb’s Cannademix company has held the Budtenders Ball in 2023, 2024, and 2025 so far as well.
The Dispensary Guy held the first-ever legal NJ cannabis award show in 2024.
Baked by the River dispensary of Lambertville held the 2024 Tri-State Cultivators Cup award show, which was a mix of underground legacy and legal.
The advocacy group Sativa Cross has held a couple of underground legacy to legal award shows.
Unfortunately, Heady NJ has heard ugly, unverified rumors about how winners were chosen at some Cups.
Heady NJ Fire Awards?
Heady NJ was planning the Jersey Fire Awards in 2025. But we had issues with logistics and health problems. We are exploring ways to hold the Jersey Fire Awards in 2026.
I could just pick favorites. Or we could hold a vote digitally or in person. Show business brings in a million questions of logistics.
