New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - July 10, 2025) - Josh Kesselman, entrepreneur and founder of HBI Innovations, has announced the exclusive purchase of High Times magazine, Cannabis Cup and associated assets in an all-cash transaction. Alongside partner and former 2000s-era High Times co-owner Matt Stang, this $3.5 million acquisition is intent on reviving the publishing powerhouse.

Former High Times co-owner Matt Stang with Josh Kesselman, who paid $3.5 million for the High Times intellectual property rights. PHOTO: BIG FREEZY

High Times was founded in 1974 and was a prominent player in the cannabis community. The counterculture publication featured legends like Charles Bukowski, Willie Nelson, Debbie Harry, Hunter S. Thompson and Bob Marley. Kesselman's purchase of High Times has been featured in publications such as The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and Yahoo! Finance.

"This is a 'pinch yourself' kind of moment for me, just unbelievable," said Kesselman in the announcement. "Eighteen-year-old stoner Josh would be in complete disbelief that I get to bring back a piece of history that has played such an important part in culture and impacted so many lives, including my own. This feels like a dream. Having Matt Stang, an OG and a former owner-operator of the magazine, involved in this acquisition just makes it all come full circle. It's surreal to be a small part of giving back to the community that helped make me."

"High Times was founded in 1974 and taken over by a private equity group in 2017." New York Times.

"Our goal is to rebuild the voice of authenticity that defined High Times' legacy, to cut through the controversy of inaccurate information, create a truly cross-generational community, and restore High Times to its rightful place as an international beacon of counterculture," Josh Kesselman added. "And most importantly? HAVE FUN while doing it."

An additional $1.85 million has already been pumped to support kickstarting the magazine and to cover the additional costs including trademark fees and digitizing High Time's extensive archive of content.

Kesselman and Stang also plan to introduce licensing deals to create High Times products.

Kesselman and Stang also plan to introduce licensing deals to create High Times products, including the famous High Times T-shirts, rolling papers through RAW, and connect their readers with cannabis social media influencers according to a report in the Wall Street Journal.

High Times will soon be relaunched as a comprehensive platform serving as a hub for information and connection, mixing legacy with modern relevance. Plans include:

• Relaunching the print magazine in limited-run, collectible editions.
• Reintroducing the iconic Cannabis Cup event series, with third-party judging and zero pay-to-play involvement, returning legitimacy to the industry's most revered competition.
• Rebuilding the digital platform to host a curated network of cannabis podcasts, experts and community voices.
• Commemorating the brand's 50-year legacy and heralding the future of free thinking.
• Protecting the truth of the power of the plant.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/258426