written by Austin Eames
As the election dooms, there seem to be only a few things we can get excited about this year, including Thanksgiving, Christmas…. and the infamous organic cannabis Emerald Cup. This is my favorite time of the year! Munchies, love, and new products in this green industry fill our lives during the holiday season. This years cup helps clear our heads to decipher the better from the best in the cannabis space.
It’s no surprise that this smoker-happy festival continues on its strongly after continued years of success. After all, it is an all organic cannabis competition. At the cup, judges will choose the best of the best from a variety of categories including cannabis flowers, topicals, edibles, and oils. You will absolutely get high if you inhale, but don’t forget to bring your prop 215 medical card, as this festival is separated between the non-medical and the medical side.
If you are not able to make it into the “medical” designated area, don’t be dismayed. You will have all day access to the food vendors and the music stage. We definitely recommend Xperience tickets to maximize your time at this two day event. This years’ reggae packed lineup includes The Dirty Heads, Tribal Seeds, Natalie Rize, and Raging Fyah. Headlining the event (and sure to bring that nostalgic scent to the building) will be the Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley. I believe there is no better fit for a Marley headliner this particular year considering that California gets to decide (once again) if we will allow recreational cannabis in the state. Note: I highly recommend registering or renewing your 215 card for this event, but if not, you will certainly catch the right vibe with just regular access.
For those with the all access pass (regular ticket with 215 card), you’ll certainly want to mentally prepare for an abundance of sampling if you so choose. In attendance last year, I was particularly impressed with a handful of the companies who were providing really high quality topical products. I had no idea this side of the industry had expanded so rapidly and the Emerald Cup is by far one of the best congregations of cannabis companies I have yet to enjoy.
A recommendation from gathered past experience would be to consume CBD products prior to consuming any THC products. CBD is short for cannabidiol, another cannabinoid discovered in cannabis that has a profoundly positive and non-psychoactive affect on our immune and nervous system. CBD has medical benefits, but no THC. If you’re intrigued, check out the documentary Weed with Sangay Gupta. It will shed further light on CBD and its wonders. Check it out here.
If anything’s for sure this year at the Emerald Cup, it’s that there will be an enormous presence of the ganja flowers themselves as they are entered into a competition, judged by potency (terpene and cannabinoid content), scent, and appearance. It is always fun to see new winners from this event as the ripple effects are seen in the marketplace. Previous winners in recent years at this cup have brought us strains like Cherry Limeade, Girl Scout Cookies and Larry OG.
Last but definitely not least will be the circuit of speakers which have yet to be announced. I mention this last because people need to speak up about their use of cannabis, as many of us have been in the shadows. Whether you believe cannabis should be recreationally available or not, it’s ok that we speak up about the plants use and benefit as a daily or semi-frequent aid to life.
On a personal note, my life has been dramatically improved by this plant and I am forever grateful for events like the Emerald Cup.