of Autoflower America’s Cup returns to California on January 31, 2026, bringing the fourth annual celebration of flowering cannabis genetics to Be True Los Angeles. Once underrated, autoflowers are now at the cutting edge of modern breeding, and the Cup has become the definitive stage for tracking that transformation.

Led by curator Jeremy Norrie, one of America’s earliest automotive flower champions, the event combines competition, education and culture to show how far the category has come and where it’s going next. “Autoflowers have evolved beyond expectation,” says Norrie. “This is where we measure that growth—in flavor, power, creativity and passion.”

2025 in Review: A Turning Point for Automatic Flowers

The 2025 Autoflower America’s Cup marked a defining moment for the category, attracting nearly 80 entries and offering a range of benchmark achievements. Atlas Seeds set a new potency record, pushing THC levels into uncharted territory, while Twenty20 Mendocino’s Love Bomb Auto appeared as Best new strain 2025drawing attention to both performance and profile.

Established community leaders Fast Buds and Mephisto Genetics (both ex The best car flower breeder recipients) continued to influence the direction of modern automotive flower genetics, reinforcing the growing credibility of the category on a global stage.

As curator Jeremy Norrie said:

“Every year, the cars get faster, stronger, more durable and more respected. What was once overlooked has become a legitimate showcase for some of the best breeding work in the US and beyond.”

Best Auto Hash

Introduced in 2025, Best Auto Hash highlighted a major shift in perception, proving that autoflowers are capable of producing high-quality, solvent-free rosin suitable for hashing. The category raised expectations across the board, and in 2026, the bar rises even higher as a wider field of extractors enter the competition.

Best Flower Breeder – Community Vote

This award remains firmly in the hands of the community. Determined by public vote, it recognizes the breeders who shape today’s automotive flower landscape. Past winners include Fast Buds and Mephisto Genetics, with voting for the 2026 title now open on the Cup website.

Highest THC – lab verified

Connoisseurs know that many factors contribute to quality, but overall potency continues to be a major consideration for growers around the world. In 2025, Atlas Seeds set a new standard with Think Breath Autotesting at 30.33% THC, an inflection point that redefined what autoflowers can achieve at the upper end of cannabinoid expression.

Meet the judges: Experience, Craft and Culture

The 2026 panel brings together respected voices in cannabis cultivation, education, extraction, journalism and culture.

All judges participate equally in a blinded and balanced evaluation process.

• Kyle Kushman – Award-winning organic grower, educator, advocate
• Danny Danko (Dan Vinkovetsky) – Veteran journalist and cultivation expert
• Jenn Doe – Multi-awarded grower and single-source hashmaker
• Maxwell Pharms – Dual Award Automotive Flower Farmer
• Austin Kress (Stony McBlaze) – Cultivator, creator and cultural storyteller. In addition to his judging duties, Austin will bring his signature comedy to the Awards Ceremony’s entertaining lineup
• IcanTHC – Cultivator, educator and influential media voice
• Madman Plant – second time judge and host of the mental health panel
• Jordan Harker – Founder of Autoflower.org and commercial cultivation specialist
• David Downs – Acclaimed journalist documenting the culture, science and politics of cannabis

Together, they represent a multi-layered view of today’s cannabis landscape.

Education and Mental Health Panel

The 2026 American Autoflower Cup includes an Education and Mental Health Panel that addresses the human side of cultivation – where learning, discipline and personal well-being intersect. The session examines how structure, routine, and realistic expectations play a critical role in not only growing stronger plants, but maintaining balance and longevity as a grower.

Led by experienced growers and respected community voices, the talk explores common challenges such as creative pressure, burnout and the steep learning curve presented by modern autoflower genetics. Participants can expect practical suggestions, shared perspectives and an open, non-judgmental dialogue rooted in lived experience.

The panel is included with every event ticket and will take place during the Awards evening on January 31st.

Organized by Adam Ill

A familiar presence at the Cup, Adam Ill returns for his fourth year as host of the Awards Ceremony. A comedian and staple of cannabis culture, Adam blends humor with genuine community knowledge, keeping the night engaging, energetic and rooted in authenticity from start to finish.

Sponsor Spotlight: ELEMENTS + Industry Leaders

The 2026 sponsor list comes in stronger than ever.

ELEMENTS joins as an official sponsor, supporting the full judging process and the Awards Ceremony. They sit alongside an industry-leading partner table, including:

● Grove bag

● AC Infinity

● Dr. Dabber

● Harvest of Neptune

● Doctor Zymes

Not Just a Pageant: A Cultural Milestone

What started as an ambitious idea has become a defining element in the cannabis calendar. As its international reach continues to grow, the American Autoflower Cup brings together science, community, culture and craft, creating a rare space to witness the evolution (and future) of autoflower genetics.

Contest registration is now open

Learn more, register your entry and get your tickets on the website:

Join us on January 31, 2026 at Be True Los Angeles. Join the movement, because autoflowers aren’t here to compete, they’re here to lead!

On December 4, 2025 at 1:13 PM

New Cannabis Ventures offers readers this easy-to-read exclusive summary of BDSA’s 15-state monthly cannabis sales data.

Cannabis sales rose 3.4% sequentially in October, a 0.1% daily gain. In this review, we break down the results by state, starting with the western markets and then ending with the eastern markets. Overall, the BDSA estimates sales in 15 markets totaled $2.11 billion in October, up 5.8 percent from a year earlier. Excluding the big gain in New York, which I explain below, sales were down 2.7%. Note that BDSA has revised some data historically.

Western markets

BDSA provides coverage for Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada and Oregon. In September, the annual growth was negative in 3 states. In four of these states, daily growth declined sequentially.

Eastern markets

BDSA provides coverage for Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania. Annual growth in September ranged from -6.5% in New Jersey to +1,513.2% in New York, whose adult-use sales have been included by the BDSA since January but were first included a few months ago. Ohio began using adults in August, spurring growth. Note that Florida and Pennsylvania are medical markets only. Sequential growth was flat in most markets, helped by an extra day and negative in one market. Annual growth was negative in several markets and increased sharply in two states. We warned of a potential slowdown in Florida despite strong dispensary and unit volume growth due to competitive pressure, and it has now declined for two consecutive months.

For readers interested in a deeper look hemp markets in these fifteen states and more, including segmentation by additional product categories, brand and product details, longer history and segmentation by product attributes, learn how BDSA Solutions can give you access to actionable data and analytics.

Based in Houston, Alan leverages his experience as an online community founder 420 Investorthe first and still the largest due diligence platform focused on publicly traded stocks in the cannabis industry. With his extensive network in the cannabis community, Alan continues to find new ways to connect the industry and facilitate its sustainable growth. time New Cannabis Ventureshe is responsible for content development and strategic alliances. Before turning his attention to the cannabis industry in early 2013, Alan, who began his career on Wall Street in 1986, worked as an independent research analyst with more than two decades of research and portfolio management experience. A prolific writer, with over 650 articles published since 2007 Looking for Alphawhere he has 70,000 followers, Alan is a frequent speaker at industry conferences and frequent source Media including the NY Times, Wall Street Journal, Fox Business and Bloomberg TV. Contact Alan. Twitter: |: Facebook |: LinkedIn: |: El