Steven Hager
Editor-in-Chief
of High Times Magazine, founded The Tin Whistle, his first underground
newspaper, in 1967, while a high school student in Illinois. He
went on to receive a Masters of Science degree in Journalism from
the University of Illinois.
In
1980, he became the first reporter to travel to the South Bronx
to document the history of hip hop, a project that resulted in
the book "Hip Hop" (St. Martins' Press) and the film
"Beat Street" (Orion Pictures).
Hager
became editor-in-chief of High Times in 1988. That same year,
he founded the Cannabis Cup, the "Academy Awards of Marijuana," and
became a leading figure in the hemp legalization movement by creating
the first national Hemp Tour.
In
1997, Hager left his post as editor of High Times to concentrate
on creating new events for High Times (including the Whee! festival,
the Stonys and the Doobies), while also studying low-budget video
production, so these events could be properly documented).
He
returned to High Times as editor-in-chief in 1998, and was replaced
six years later as the magazine made an ill-fated attempt to change
its direction. He returned as editor in 2006.
Hager
has remained one of the most visible and active proponents of
marijuana legalization, and has campaigned extensively on the
social, political, economic and judicial reasons he feels Marijuana
should be legalized.
Hager
is the author of several books, including "The Octopus Conspiracy"
(Trine Day), and producer/director of several feature-length documentaries,
including "The Cannabis Cup" (Koch Entertainment).