2014 High Times Medical Cannabis Cup in Michigan Was a Success

It’s Monday… and marijuana fanatics across Michigan are winding down from yet another successful High Times Cannabis Cup. There were reportedly thousands of stoners and medical cannabis users in attendance for this year’s event, some of which gathered at Auto City Speedway to catch a buzz and a performance from Grammy Award winner Wyclef Jean.

The Cannabis Cup, which began in Amsterdam 27 years ago, has grown into a mega-event that celebrates the change of marijuana laws in the United States. Some cannabis experts say Michigan is setting the trend for marijuana reform in the Midwest, and they are hopeful that neighboring states will soon follow in their progressive footsteps.

"People are seeing that it's a beneficial plant, and it's being normalized," Dan Skye, High Times magazine editorial director, told MLive. "The cannabis industry is only expanding. ... Michigan really needs something like this. There's no reason the cannabis industry should have a harness on it. It's jobs -- it's as simple as that."

Although the knowledge of marijuana’s medicinal qualities are becoming more mainstream now, with 33 states, including Michigan, having legalized medical cannabis in some form, the herb is still a safe and highly effective recreational substance less harmful than alcohol. "Cannabis use is also known for a great party," said Skye. "There's no reason we can't have fun when we're medicating."