High Times Is Back, Baby: RAW’s Josh Kesselman Leads $3.5-Million Revival With Matt Stang
High Times, the legendary counterculture publication once synonymous with cannabis and psychedelics, is making a comeback. After years of financial turmoil and a high-profile receivership, Josh Kesselman, founder of RAW Rolling Papers, has acquired the brand in an all-cash $3.5 million transaction.
The acquisition includes the High Times magazine, its digital media assets and the iconic Cannabis Cup event series. Kesselman is partnering with Matt Stang, a former High Times co-owner and longtime industry operator, to lead the company’s revival.
“This incredible 50-year-old brand is an amazing place. I’ve spent over half my life there, and I’m just so happy and proud to be back, and so excited to take it into the future. It’s really all about longevity and a long-term view, and I’m so excited to partner with Josh and bring back the center of counterculture and alternative plant-based lifestyles,” Stang told Benzinga.
Also read: ‘Willy Wonka Of Weed’ Opens The Doors To The RAW Factory: Here’s What We Saw
Founded in 1974, High Times became an underground cultural icon, publishing work from figures like Charles Bukowski, Hunter S. Thompson and William Burroughs. At its peak in the late 1970s, the magazine reached a paid circulation of 500,000. However, after a failed IPO attempt and mounting financial and legal issues under Hightimes Holding Corp., the publication ceased updating its website in June 2024 and printed its final …