Joshua Kesselman, the man behind the RAW® brand of rolling papers and other smoking accessories, didn’t name his brand after a process. He named it after a feeling. A feeling of realness, energy, and truth. The word came to him “through the emotion in a classic hip-hop track’s lyrics; a raw expression of honesty and
The Mylar bags were whispering again. That thin, plastic whine like cheap toys haunted by bad branding decisions. They twitched on the table under the kitchen light, a dozen neon rectangles posing like they were auditioning for a merch drop no one asked for. One of them—holographic alien, oversized blunt, eyes too big to be
Who would have imagined that Latin America’s largest cannabis expo would take place in a country whose Congress still treats the subject with deep suspicion? Yet that is what unfolded as ExpoCannabis Brasil wrapped its third edition, the most ambitious so far, revealing a cannabis culture in Brazil that is expanding despite political obstacles. One
Lunch breaks hit different when you’re an LA gig worker who still clocks into a day job. Warehouse in the morning and creative at night—my whole life runs on a double-shift timeline, and sometimes I forget which version of myself I’m supposed to be feeding. So when my break finally rolled around, I walked out
In industries built on culture as much as commerce, the right storyteller can shape how your brand is understood. Cannabis and psychedelics companies do not simply sell products. They communicate trust, purpose, and transformation. Choosing a journalist or podcast to represent your voice is not only a marketing decision. It is a reputational investment. After
Grief has a way of hollowing you out. For many, it’s a darkness we try to numb or outrun. But for a growing number of people—myself included—cannabis isn’t about escape. It’s about connection, healing, and learning to live again. After my father passed, I found myself in a fog where life felt unrecognizable. Nothing made
When I sat down with Rohan Marley ahead of The Whine Down—our cultural benefit experience supporting the Bob & Rita Marley Foundation’s hurricane relief efforts in Jamaica—our conversation moved quickly into the teachings that have shaped his life. Before we talked logistics, food, or philanthropy, he returned to something much older: a lesson from his
DOPE® is returning with a renewed purpose. High Times and Dope Magazine are relaunching the DOPE® program as an active cultural platform dedicated to community, recognition and cannabis justice. As part of this relaunch, DOPE® and High Timesare presenting the 2025 DOPE® Award, an honor given to individuals whose work reflects leadership, service and meaningful
This article is an adapted version of the Cannabis Confidential newsletter. It’s a rare session that I’ll step away from the screens, particularly with so much going on, year-end approaching and the industry on edge. As I pride myself on conducting exhaustive due diligence, I drove across the river this morning to join Ascend CEO
There’s a moment, somewhere past the hour mark, when Trinidad James leans back and drops it without drama: “I’m not fighting for my life. I’m fighting for my flow state.” It’s quiet, almost offhand, but it lands like someone who has spent years stripping away noise until only the essentials remain. In the third episode
