While in the NBA, Al Harrington had long-held dream of owning a cannabis dispensary; now he owns several.

As AFROTECH™ previously reported, Harrington is the founder of Viola Brands, which exists to “increase minority participation and ownership in the cannabis industry while positively impacting and reinvesting into communities most affected by the war on drugs.”

Its inception was inspired by his grandmother, who suffered from glaucoma that impaired her vision. He suggested she consume cannabis, and although she was initially reluctant, it helped her greatly after trying it.

“She was complaining about her eyes hurting and I said, ‘Grandma, why don’t you give it a try.’ I said a doctor will actually recommend it,” he told News 12 New Jersey. “I said, ‘It’s legal here,’ and she said, ‘I’m in so much pain today, I’ll try anything.’ From that point on, I had a different outlook on cannabis. I realized that it was medicine. So, I started doing research and then eventually I got into the business.”

Harrington has now not only entered into the business, he is dominating within the sector. Since 2011, it has launched premium products and boasts award-winning extracts, the company website mentioned. Among their products are indica strains such as Kick Back and Lights Out, and sativa strains including Good Times and Get Up & Go.

To scale their cannabis brand with the goal of opening dispensaries, Harrington formed Village Brands alongside cannabis industry pro and Viola co-founder Dan Pettigrew. More recently, their partnership has led to the opening of Village Hoboken, their first East Coast dispensary in New Jersey, a press release shared with AFROTECH™ stated.

“I’m grateful to have the opportunity to bring my love of and experience in the cannabis industry over the last 13 years to Jersey,” said the former pro baller. “It’s a full circle moment to open a dispensary in the state where I was stopped and frisked as a kid who had never even touched flower.”

Pettigrew commented, “We’re excited to open our first East Coast location. A lot is happening in the industry and we look forward to continuing to grow our brands in New Jersey and beyond.”