At a glance
Viola is a Black-owned cannabis brand founded in 2011 by former NBA player Al Harrington and cannabis operator Dan Pettigrew. It is named for Harrington's grandmother, Viola, whose experience with glaucoma and cannabis inspired the venture. The company combines premium flower and extracts with an explicit mission to expand ownership and opportunity for Black and brown communities.
Founders and origin
Harrington is Viola's CEO and public face; Maryland legislative testimony identifies Pettigrew as co-founder and cannabis veteran. The company story says Harrington persuaded his grandmother to try cannabis for glaucoma-related discomfort and named the company in her honor. That account is a founder narrative, not clinical evidence that cannabis treats glaucoma.
Products
Viola's current and market-specific lines include premium flower, pre-rolls, concentrates and vape products. Its genetics and formats vary by state because licensed local operations or partners must produce cannabis inside each jurisdiction. A product shown in Michigan, Colorado or California should not be assumed available or identically formulated elsewhere.
Markets and licensing
The current about page lists Arizona, Colorado, Missouri, California, Pennsylvania, Nevada, Michigan, New Jersey and Florida and also references Canada.
Viola Cares and equity
Viola Cares launched as the company's social-equity and community-impact platform, supporting education, expungement, incubation and ownership pathways. The brand's mission is unusually central to its identity. Program announcements demonstrate intent and activity, but impact should be evaluated through dated grantees, investments and outcomes rather than mission language alone.
Partnerships and expansion
Viola has used licensing and operating partnerships to expand, including a 2021 Avicanna agreement for Canada. It also developed athlete-linked collaborations such as the Iverson Collection. These arrangements extend brand reach while making the local manufacturer and license especially important to product verification.
Awards and recognition
Viola describes its extracts as award-winning and has received extensive media recognition as a prominent Black-owned cannabis company.