UCA
Underground Cannabis Archives
Tim Hughes
Timothy Lloyd Hughes co-founder of High Times magazine and silent partner to Thomas King Forcade founder of High Times magazine. Tim Hughes and Tom Forcade smuggled hundreds of tons of marijuana into America to help fund the expensive cost of publishing their new magazine. Tim met Tom at Flamingo Park in 1972 at the democratic national convention in Miami Florida. They quickly became good friends. Tim shared an apartment with Tom in New York city with three other people. They sold marijuana to help fund the underground press syndicate which Tom was part of. As their marijuana business grew, they opened a fictitious music studio in the East Villages. This is where they did all of their dope dealing.
Tim Rembers Tom talking about creating a magazine for the countercoulter. Tom liked the way Time magazine looked, it had a thick shiny cover and Tom wanted to replicate that for their new magazine. High Times magazine first issue appeared in the summer of 1974, but they couldn't get anyone to distribute it. All of the first copies of High Times magazine were distributed by their dope dealers. If you bought 100 pounds of marijuana you got a box of magazines. Every article in the first issue was made up. They even borrowed advertisements from other magazines. High Times magazine was a success but still needed funding from their illegal marijuana business. Tom worked on the magazine and Tim took over smuggling marijuana.
Tom always said there's two kinds of dope dealers the ones who need a forklift and the ones that don't. On March 17, 1976. Tim Hughes was arrested for smuggling 2800 pounds of marijuana into south Florida. Tim was a huge part of High Times success in the beginning, risking everything including his freedom. Tim's First wife Betty Ju is on the cover of High Times magazines first anniversary issue (Aug./Sept. 1975). Tim remained Toms silent partner for the first four years of their magazine. On November 17, 1978, Thomas King Forcade committed suicide. After Toms funeral they had a memorial service at the world trade center in New York city. After the service Tim and a small group of Toms closest friends went to the top of the north tower and smoked a joint with Toms ashes in it to celebrate his life.
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Tom wanted a small group of people to have certain things but Gabrielle, Toms wife wasn't happy that Tom wanted Tim to have part of High Times. Instead of destroying the magazine he helped Tom create, Tim quietly walked away. Tim Hughes ended up in Japan where he met his second wife. Using her last name he changed his name to Tim Omachi. They eventually moved back to the United States and settled down in Eugene, Oregon. Tim got his Ph.D. and started a family. Tim (Hughes) Omachi has lived an incredible life. His story is one most people have never heard. Never the less Tim Hughes helped Thomas King Forcade create one of the greatest magazines of our time.