Written by Deming Fischer

High Times Magazine held its second annual awards gala on March 27, 2019. The event took place in the recently renovated historical landmark, Exchange LA. The aptly-named HT100 acknowledges the 100 Most Influential People in the cannabis industry. Celebrated actor, and well-known cannabis grower, Jim Belushi hosted the occasion.

The extensive list included everyone from CEOs and doctors, to comedians and edible connoisseurs, highlighting just how diverse the cannabis business has become. Mexico’s former president Vicente Fox, Bob Marley’s youngest son Damian Marley, and TV’s Emmy-winning talk show host Montel Williams were among the star-studded honorees. 

On March 29, High Times’ Women of Weed was held at Boulevard3 in LA. The event, also celebrating its second year, is organized to recognize and support the women who are making waves in the cannabis industry today.

Arguably one of the most recognizable names in cannabis media, High Times has spent the past 45 years covering the revolutionary movement of cannabis legalization in the US. But as their website proclaims, it “is much more than magazine.” They have grown to include apps, websites, and perhaps most notably, events, such as the Cannabis Cup. Their mission, however, remains unchanged: to educate and inform the public about the role cannabis can and does play in our lives.

This year, Maria Valentino was an official sponsor for High Times 100 and Women of Weed. Maria is leading the Green Beauty Movement with her cutting-edge botanical formulas. The collection utilizes full-spectrum CBD, synergy-boosting terpenes, Reishi mushrooms and active plant cells to enhance natural beauty and promote wellness from the outside-in. The honorees from both events received MV products along with their awards. “The cannabis industry is constantly evolving,” Valentino explained. “It’s incredibly important to appreciate and recognize the men and women who are blazing the trail and removing the stigma.”

Maria Valentino photographed on the green carpet, wearing her luxury cannabis diamond ring, and emerald dress by Australian designer, Jadore Evening.