Philadelphia 76ers’ Allen Iverson (aka The Answer) is making his way into the cannabis sector with a dope new strain this fall. The overall venture is a partnership with Viola Brands by former NBA player Al Harrington. The New Jersey native’s cannabis company began in 2011, and dedicates itself to normalizing certain aspects in the sector.
“I’ve had a lot of people approach me with business opportunities, but this one with Al was different,” Iverson told Philly Voice. “After seeing how devoted [Al] is to this business, and him educating me on how beneficial the plant is, it just felt right. I’m excited to be a part of it. Together, we’re going to change the game.”
Iverson and Harrington’s partnership marks one of many recent celebrity cannabis collaborations that started this year. Some of these projects turn out to be equivocal to nothing more than a PR stunt, failing suddenly to the public eye. So what exactly makes this new one any different? Well, between educational efforts and stigma suppression, there’s a lot to make Iverson’s brand different from others.
Allen Iverson’s Strains vs NBA Cannabis Stigma
Iverson will primarily assist Viola to create new merchandise and cannabis/non-cannabis products. Besides the goodies, though, the two are working together on something bigger. Together The Answer and Viola Brands continue to educate the NBA, fans, and players on the benefits and myths of cannabis. They aim to dispel negative misconceptions and biases towards the plant, particularly in athletic environments.
“In the same way Allen impacted the culture, we’re going to continue to impact the cannabis industry,” Harrington said. “We’re going to keep pushing boundaries. I’m honored to have Allen on board. We want to continue to inspire others and encourage people of color to participate in the cannabis space.”
The capital pride of Iverson and Viola’s partnership, however, is The Iverson Collection. If your local dispensary has Viola products already, you’re in for a real treat this fall. All locations with Viola products are going to be stocking this collection. The products themselves consist of multiple cannabis strains procured by The Answer himself.
Ironically enough, PA-based Sixers fans won’t get a taste of the legend’s cannabis products for an indefinite amount of time. We likely can’t blame Viola for this though. Especially considering this is taking place in a very convoluted web of state legislations. Viola currently has products in California, Colorado, Michigan, Oregon, and Washington, but not Pennsylvania.
Allen Iverson and Harrington’s Viola Brands
Viola has a primary competency in mind when it comes to normalizing the cannabis industry. This is a brand putting minority ownership of companies first by building up new opportunities and reinvesting money into local communities. The CEO, Al Harrington, is indeed very passionate about the endeavor, recently speaking about it on Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel.
“My mission is to create 100 Black millionaires through cannabis… There’s different layers to this onion for sure, but one of them that’s at the core of my heart is diversity in the cannabis space.”
– Al Harrington of Viola Brands on Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel
