One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
High Times Magazine Is Moving To Los Angeles
New York City is about to lose another high-profile name to Los Angeles. High Times magazine, which was founded in a Greenwich Village basement in 1974, has operated out of Manhattan for the last 43 years.
"The center of the cannabis universe has moved to California," Matt Stang, the magazine's chief revenue officer, told Crain's New York Business. "New York used to be a liberal bastion...Even the medical marijuana law in New York is one of the most restrictive and least helpful to those in need."
High Times will be moving from their current Midtown Manhattan office, which has some 30 staffers, to their new L.A. office near The Grove, reports Fishbowl NY. It is unclear if all 30 staffers will make the move.
According to Time Out Los Angeles, the magazine has even signed a deal with United Talent Agency to develop film and/or TV ideas.
Founder Thomas King Forcade originally envisioned the magazine as a one-off stoner's spoof of Playboy. However, its popularity elicited more issues of the magazine, and, eventually, circulation was rivaling Rolling Stone's. Contributors to the magazine have included Hunter S. Thompson, William Burroughs, Charles Bukowski, Allen Ginsberg and Truman Capote, according to The Nation.
In its modern form, the magazine calls itself the "definitive resource for all things cannabis," and has grown beyond "the print, digital and physical worlds through magazines, websites, apps and live events."
Looks like what they said is true: Proposition 64 did have unintended consequences.
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
