High Times opens its archives until May 20

High Times, the iconic American magazine dedicated to cannabis culture, through May 20. From interviews with cultural icons such as Andy Warhol and Hunter S. Thompson to the works of Charles Bukowski and William S. Burroughs, *High Times* is one of the pillars of California’s cannabis culture, which continues to influence the world to this day.

The first issue of High Times was published in the summer of 1974, at the start of the war on drugs declared by President Richard Nixon. The idea of founder Thomas King Forҫade, a political activist and cannabis dealer, was to create «a unique parody of Playboy, featuring cannabis alongside scantily clad women.».

The cover of the first issue, which featured a young woman with her head tilted back as she prepared to take a bite out of a mushroom, evoked a sense of «going on a safari, taking a trip, escaping reality. It was a journey.» Since the 10,000 copies of the inaugural issue sold out quickly, High Times followed up with a second issue with a print run of 50,000 copies. With covers featuring celebrities such as Bob Marley and Debbie Harry, circulation grew steadily throughout the 1970s, reaching 4 million readers per month in 1978.

Since then, High Times has been the go-to publication for everything related to cannabis. The magazine has undergone numerous revamps, staff changes, and shifting editorial directions, with varying degrees of success. But like the phoenix, it has always risen from the ashes.

So for the next three weeks, 45 years of cannabis history are just a click away. If you don't know where to start, the December 2019 issue featured Charlotte Figi, who recently passed away, and Michka, our cannabis queen.