We have a lineup of absolute hitters to help you celebrate August in our High Times Strains of the Month. Whether you’re looking for fuel, candy, or Z, this group of strains is sure to have something in your wheelhouse.

This list is a celebration of great genetics grown well and we hope you’ll have a chance to get your hands on some of these offerings. 

PINK DIRT – Jeu Green

(Skunktek Sour Diesel x ECSD/Stardawg x Sour Face)

Jeu Green, who took top honors at The Billys in New York City this year, has added another hitter to his stable. DIRT enthusiasts will be thrilled with this new offering he found in a pack of Sour Skunkface seeds by Skunk and Sour (@skunkandsour). 

“Massachusetts breeders got heat,” Green told High Times. 

Green started the phenohunt on a quest to find pink weed. When he was younger, his father got a big bag of crazy pink weed that was considered an “herban legend” around his hometown and talked about for years. He only popped 12 seeds, but he found the traits he was looking for on the selection he made with its pink pistils and tight bud structure standing out to the award-winning grower. Green emphasized that even though it was a small phenohunt, sometimes those special cuts find you. 

Green is a gas enthusiast when it comes to his preferred flavor profile for cannabis and the PINK DIRT certainly checks that box. Green noted there are also some pink lemonade undertones and the total package will leave a sour mouth coat. As with other fuel-heavy strain profiles, the impact is definitely there. Green argues she has a bit of a creeper high that will get you if you sleep on her.

“Everything I do is DIRT and she is the pink one like Kimberly, the pink Power Ranger,” Green said. 

Green is the only one in possession of the PINK DIRT. 

Brainwash – Alien Labs x Talking Terps

(Z x Oz Kush #18)

Brainwash came from a 60-seed phenohunt done by Alien Labs following a breeding project at their Sacramento facility. Alien Labs founder Ted Lidie told High Times the winner was selected for its OG-like flavor that hits a midway point and turns to candy Z. Another factor in the selection was how much impact the strain has, which can sometimes be lacking in Z crosses. 

“Its proximity to a true OG with something different inside the nug,” Lidie said, “Z is there but ephemeral. The OG really sticks with you.” 

The pairing has proved very successful out of the gate. It recently took home top honors in Proper Doinks’ inaugural Arizona bracket against a bunch of hitters. It was recently Alien Labs’ top-selling strain for a couple of months in a row. All in all, it’s been a big success for Alien Labs and their friends at Talking Terps for their first-ever collaboration. 

The name came easily, according to Lidie, it’s a reference to washing your brain. He noted that it fits with Talking Terps branding, current culture and has multilayered meaning like a lot of Alien Labs strain names. 

Alien Labs is the only cultivator in possession of the strain. Also, don’t sleep on the California batches. They definitely share the same quality as the award-winning rendition coming out of Arizona. 

Zunicorn – Zero Gravity Exotics

(Z x TMZ (Z x Candy Fumes (Z x Sherbanger)

Zunicorn is a standout pheno of World War Z bred by Bloom Seed Co. and cultivated by Zero Gravity Exotics in Oakland, California. In a world where new Z crosses are popping up on an almost monthly basis, the Zunicorns is a fantastic offering that jumps out of the jar with an even sweeter nose that’s arguably a little bit louder than the original Z. The extra sweet notes on top of the Z dominant profile are a result of the Candy Fumez in its lineage. 

The Zero Gravity team picked up the seeds at Ego Clash 2025 and popped them immediately. While they only had six seeds to hunt through for winners, they ended up finding multiple keepers. The Zunicorn got its name from being the unicorn of the pack. 

Their selection grows very similar to Z, but they believe it to be a bit more commercially viable, given its slightly improved vigor, structure, and look. Zero Gravity Exotics are the only cultivators currently in possession of the cut.

Zangbanger – Wizard Trees

(Sherbanger #22 × Zangria)

While originally Wizard Trees was most associated with elite cannabis flower, their recent lineup of hitters has turned the brand into one of the most sought-after breeders on the planet. This was further confirmed by the massive lines in Barcelona and Berlin this year as people hoped to get their hands on the lineup of genetics that’s very much proven to offer an excellent pairing of commercial viability and quality smoke.  

Expect the Zangbanger to only add to the hype. The winning phenotype beat out other top-tier keepers from the Zangria line, including Gas Gimlet and Zoza, which are still monsters in their own right.

The selection was made purely on smoke quality according to the Wizard Trees team. They argue the insane blueberry terpene profile stains your mouth even more than Z. That’s not too much of a shocker, given Zangbanger has been testing at a consistent 4.5% to 5% terpenes. That is a massive number, Scott from Wizard Trees noted, even his best strains rarely hit 4%.

The loud candy-blueberry nose translates perfectly to the flavor of the experience. And you’ll enjoy those notes all the way through the joint, given how loaded it will be with terpenes. 

Photos courtesy of their respective growers

“I’m going to prioritize the fentanyl before hemp, and every dollar I spend on testing drugs is a dollar I don’t have to spend on testing a sexual assault kit.”

By Stephen Simpson, The Texas Tribune

As Texas lawmakers debate whether to regulate or ban THC products, officials with the state’s crime labs say they don’t have the resources currently to enforce whatever law is passed.

“From a crime lab perspective, mercifully, we don’t have a dog in that fight. I really don’t care. Just tell me what I need to test, and then I need resources to be able to provide that result,” Peter Stout, president and chief executive officer for the Houston Forensic Science Center, told The Texas Tribune after he testified before the House Public Health Committee on Wednesday. “Otherwise, I become the reason the wheel falls off this wagon, which has basically been the last six years now.”

Wednesday’s committee hearing centered on House Bill 5, which would create a blanket ban on products containing any “detectable amount of any cannabinoid” other than cannabidiol and cannabigerol, better known as CBD and CBG, non-intoxicating components of cannabis. This bill would eliminate the majority of hemp products, including those that are legal under the federal definition.

”There’s been countless reports of artificial and synthetic cannabinoids and their effects on the consumer, and these products have become readily available,” said Rep. Gary VanDeaver, R-New Boston, the committee’s chair and HB 5’s author. “Some of these products are marketed in a way that is attractive to children, for example common food products, like candy.”

The Senate’s version of the bill also calls for a ban, but since Gov. Greg Abbott (R) earlier this year vetoed similar legislation that would have banned THC, some lawmakers have signaled they’d support more regulations over a ban.

Kim Carmichael, spokesperson for House Speaker Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, told The Texas Tribune that the House hasn’t committed to a ban.

“HB 5 was filed as a similar bill to what the House passed in the regular session, because that’s the most logical starting point for negotiations,” Carmichael said. “Since it passed in that form, members believed they should resume debate where it ended up. It would still go through the process of a public hearing and floor debate, so where it ends up is unknown at this time.”

Experts invited by lawmakers on Wednesday to talk about THC largely focused on the health dangers of THC, the possible criminal networks that underlie the industry, and the impossible task of enforcement.

Alice Amilhat, assistant chief of the crime laboratory division for the Texas Department of Public Safety, told lawmakers the DPS crime lab is equally overwhelmed with requests, and no matter what lawmakers decide, it will be an expensive process.

“I don’t have a financial statement for you, but if a ban goes through, the testing process will be easier, but the problem is we just don’t know if the caseload will increase as well,” she said. “We don’t know how many cases will come in, we don’t know how many seizures, we don’t know how much law enforcement will need our support.”

Crime labs in Texas have found themselves in a no-win situation on how to regulate THC. If a ban goes through, testing will be relatively easy because all crime labs need to determine is if there’s THC in the substance, but it will still mean more cases for them. Not banning, but regulating THC will also drive their caseloads up and the testing process can become more expensive and time-consuming if they have to spend time trying to detect permissible amounts of THC in substances. Both scenarios are unsustainable for crime labs, which are battling deadlier drugs, with the current resources they have.

“There are only 266 licensed drug chemists in the state,” Stout told lawmakers. “I’m paying attention to fentanyl, and when you guys get it figured out [with THC], then I will invest in equipment and other stuff for testing.”

Stout said crime labs across the state have backlogs on cases that reach hundreds to thousands deep, and compared to sexual assault and firearms cases, THC testing will be a lower priority.

“I’ve been pretty vocal that I’ve not made the investments to test hemp in Houston at the scale that we probably would need to, because I can’t keep up simply with the pills that have fentanyl,” he told the Tribune. “So yeah, I’m going to prioritize the fentanyl before hemp, and every dollar I spend on testing drugs is a dollar I don’t have to spend on testing a sexual assault kit.”

DPS handles about half of the forensic work in the state, and municipal, county, or regional labs handle the rest. Each has its source of funding that can be inconsistent, but none of it is enough, according to crime labs.

Stout said the average crime lab across the country gets around $600 in funding per case, when laboratories probably need $2,500 in funding per case to cover personnel, time, and equipment. He said that, beyond the money problem, the time-consuming nature of training is a concern, and there is no pool of licensed drug chemists waiting for a job.

“We have under-resourced forensic laboratories for so long, there is no pipeline or workforce,” he said. “The people aren’t there, and the money is not there.”

The ongoing challenges at crime labs have resulted in cases taking years to resolve. Crime labs have no control over their workload—whatever substance or case law enforcement decides to focus on will impact crime labs, whether they are ready for it or not.

“Okay, guys, you also need me to answer you on that sexual assault kit and that homicide, which ones do you want me to do first?” Stout said. “Because we can’t afford to do them all. Help me out here.”

Stout said crime labs need more money and time.

“And I get that is exactly the wrong answer, that nobody wants to hear. They want to give us a big pot of money and go on to other things, but it doesn’t work that way,” he said.

This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at https://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/13/texas-crime-labs-THC-hemp-ban-regulations/.

The Texas Tribune is a member-supported, nonpartisan newsroom informing and engaging Texans on state politics and policy. Learn more at texastribune.org.

Photo courtesy of Kimzy Nanney.

What does it mean to you? So often, we forget that each of us sees the world through a unique lens. While we may share an experience, our exact perspective is ours alone.

Many of us discovered High Times during different chapters of our lives. For me, it started in childhood. I grew up reading the magazine, drawn to its bold voice and rebellious energy. It inspired me. It offered a sense of freedom—and more than anything, it reassured me that I wasn’t alone in believing this plant made life better. Whether cannabis helped us feel balanced, feel whole, or simply feel good, High Times was a beacon for those of us who saw it as more than just a vice.

Today, cannabis is often framed as a safer alternative to alcohol or tobacco. While that may be true, that narrative feels incomplete. For those of us who came up in the culture, the plant was never just about harm reduction. Our early experiences weren’t driven by taste, branding, or appearance. They were about how it made us feel.

We smoked what we could get our hands on. Brown buds with stems and seeds—sometimes green, sometimes dry and dusty, sometimes damp and moldy. The names were basic or nonexistent. We called it green, brown, dirt, chronic, bammer. No one was posting nug photos or comparing flavor profiles to candy. We were in it for the high, for the relief, and for the connection.

For me, cannabis was a constant. Before school, at lunch, after school. We masked the smell with gum, sprays, and excuses. Everyone around me smoked. My friends, the dealers, the heads at shows, the random adults who still had a foot in the underground. Often, people sold just to afford their own habit. The culture grew organically from the lifestyle. And while we were getting high, we were also medicating—whether we called it that or not.

Cannabis is the most diverse cultivated plant on the planet. No other species has been shaped and selected into as many distinct types. It’s an adaptogen, and our bodies are equipped with cannabinoid receptors that allow the plant to affect us in complex and deeply personal ways. This is part of what makes it so difficult for doctors to prescribe in a conventional sense. One cultivar might energize one person and sedate another. Some feel calm, others paranoid. Its effects are influenced by body chemistry, food, mood, stress, time of day—even the weather. It is not one-size-fits-all.

High Times helped us make sense of that variability in the plant and the culture around it. It was the most influential publication of my life. I still have my collection from the early 1990s, each issue stacked with care and reverence. The article that captivated me most growing up was the “Million Dollar Grow Room.” Years later, I was honored to be featured in the second edition of that same article. That moment of reflection and recognition remains one of the defining highlights of my career.

Over the years, I’ve built lasting friendships with former High Times editors, writers, and photographers. These were true believers who helped shape the voice of the movement. Now, a new generation carries that legacy forward. And it is not a light burden.

High Times is more than a brand. It is a cultural institution. It carries the stories of survivors, visionaries, and revolutionaries. From Jack Herer to Michael Kennedy—from legalization architects to counterculture icons like Steven Hager—the magazine has always served as a platform for voices pushing against the mainstream. And we can’t forget the countless unnamed contributors, those who submitted stories and photos without credit or compensation, simply for the love of the plant and the mission.

The groundwork has been laid. But the story is still being written. The cannabis industry continues to evolve, and with it, our responsibilities. We owe everything to those who came before us. This plant has traveled across continents, passed from hand to hand, seed to seed. In the past seventy years alone, we’ve witnessed an explosion of cross selection and hybridization unlike anything else in agriculture.

High Times was a catalyst throughout that process. From the 1970s through the later part of the 2010s, it helped shape what the cannabis community would become. Much of what we see now in newer publications and across social media can be traced back to the culture that High Times helped nurture and protect.

I’m an optimist. I believe the best chapters are still ahead. The High Times name still matters. It still carries weight. It still represents something sacred. And if stewarded with care, it can continue to be a voice for the culture and a champion of the plant. The impact the brand has already made is immeasurable—but its potential is even greater. Our passion is real. Our connection is deep. And we are fortunate to be part of something larger than ourselves—part of a movement, part of a legacy, part of a plant that makes the world better, one person at a time.

This article is from an external, unpaid contributor. It does not represent High Times’ reporting and has not been edited for content or accuracy.