SURFER Magazine Joins Humboldt Family Farms and embarc to Launch Limited-Edition Cannabis and Surf Collection

18 June 2025

SURFER Magazine, Humboldt Family Farms, and California-based retail dispensary embarc have teamed up to unveil a groundbreaking collaboration that fuses cannabis with surf culture. Marking the 65-year-old publication’s first-ever cannabis advertising, the partnership spotlights California’s sungrown cannabis and underscores the harmony between active lifestyles and cannabis use.

The campaign, debuting at the launch event on June 20, includes a special limited drop of 5 grams of Maui Waui flower cultivated by Humboldt Family Farms. Known for multi-generational care and artisanal growers in Northern California, the brand delivers the product exclusively through all embarc dispensaries statewide. This curated effort is aimed at reshaping public perception by pairing cannabis with rugged outdoor living rather than sedentary activity.

Courtney Zalewski, Chief Marketing Officer of embarc, explained that the collaboration is a celebration of California culture and an intentional step toward normalizing cannabis as part of a healthy lifestyle. She emphasized strength, mobility, and vitality as attributes shared by top surfers and cannabis connoisseurs alike.

For Scott Vasterling, CEO and founder of Humboldt Family Farms who is both a surfer and a sungrown advocate, the partnership carries personal significance. He highlighted that the alliance honors the natural connection between independent communities that value land, freedom, and intentional living.

As part of the coordinated effort, embarc will offer an exclusive Getaway Bag through its loyalty program. Contained within each limited-edition tote are 5 grams of Maui Waui, three half-gram Hawaiian Fanta pre-rolls, a copy of SURFER Magazine, and additional items from other California sungrown brands. The tote also offers entrants a chance to win surfboards custom-designed by Kolton Sullivan, aligning consumer enthusiasm with free creative expression.

Jake Howard, Editor-in-Chief at SURFER Magazine, stressed that surf culture is inherently tied to freedom and nature. He called the partnership a natural and authentic way to express a modern California identity. The product rollout is available exclusively at embarc locations while supplies last. This partnership merges a print magazine, a legacy cannabis farm, and a modern dispensary into a cohesive experience that celebrates California’s heritage and recreational ethos.

Embarc, founded in 2019, has quickly grown to include 16 licensed dispensaries, with more planned. The company commits one percent of all sales to local community initiatives and partners with music festivals and public events to expand outreach. Humboldt Family Farms sources artisanal sungrown cannabis from legacy farmers in Humboldt County, emphasizing quality, sustainability, and craft. The growers share values of generational stewardship, clean air, and living soil.

SURFER Magazine has been at the forefront of surf culture since 1960, featuring storytelling, photography, and media coverage that chronicles the sport’s evolution, coastal environmental concerns, gear, and travel. The magazine’s staff are dedicated to celebrating wave riding’s thrill, heritage, and community, making this partnership a fitting extension of its cultural mission.

In the case of a limited-edition drop, urgency and exclusivity fuel interest. The bundle’s supporting materials highlight the synergy between cannabis and surf, enabling enthusiasts to engage with both cultures simultaneously. Embarc’s investment in loyalty perks and giveaways further enhances community building, while HUMoldtlb Family Farms’ consistent messaging emphasizes thoughtful cultivation in tune with California’s ecological context.

Aligning with the Girl Scouts of California’s Central Coast, a portion of sales from the Getaway Bag will support scholarships for surf camp. Tammie Helmuth, CEO of the organization, underlined how empowering young girls through sport and outdoor exploration builds confidence and fosters community awareness.

This effort marks a shift in cannabis marketing. It moves beyond urban-centered messaging toward a celebration of physical activity and natural environments. The campaign reframes cannabis within a lifestyle context, surfing, outdoor adventure, and communal bonds while challenging outdated stereotypes .

The campaign is also significant for SURFER Magazine. By embracing cannabis advertising for the first time, the magazine acknowledges changing social attitudes and evolving cultural norms. As cannabis becomes a more mainstream element of California life, media platforms are adjusting accordingly.

This collaboration stands at the intersection of media, cultivation, and retail. It strategically taps into surf culture’s expansive reach while promoting artisanal cannabis and immersive engagement. For consumers, the experience offers more than a purchase, it is a statement, a collectible, and an invitation to participate in a cultural moment.

Overall, the SURFER, Humboldt Family Farms, and embarc partnership blends storytelling, product, and ethos to convey that cannabis can be a positive force in active, nature-aligned communities. It represents an evolutionary step in how cannabis is marketed, through experiential design, purposeful partnerships, and cultural storytelling not as escapism but as an enhancer of presence, freedom, and connection.