Key People & Brands in LA Cannabis

Last verified: March 2026

Industry Leaders & Advocates

Jerred Kiloh — UCBA President

Jerred Kiloh is the president of the United Cannabis Business Association (UCBA), the most influential cannabis trade group in Los Angeles. Kiloh has been the loudest and most consistent voice on the tax crisis, repeatedly warning that LA's 40%+ tax rate is destroying the legal industry. The UCBA represents licensed operators and has been central to every major policy debate in LA cannabis — from tax reform to enforcement against unlicensed shops to the social equity program. If there is one person who represents the licensed operator's perspective in LA, it is Kiloh.

Kika Keith — Gorilla Rx

Kika Keith became the first Black woman to own a licensed cannabis dispensary in Los Angeles when Gorilla Rx opened in South LA in February 2021. Keith's journey through the social equity program — years of delays, rent payments on an empty storefront, navigating bureaucracy — became the emblematic story of both the program's promise and its systemic failures. She is now one of the most prominent equity advocates in California. See Social Equity in LA.

Virgil Grant — California Minority Alliance

Virgil Grant is a co-founder of the California Minority Alliance for Fair Business Practices (CMAFBP) and one of the longest-serving advocates for equitable cannabis policy in LA. Grant has been involved in cannabis policy since the pre-Prop 64 era and has consistently pushed for reforms that address the racial disparities in licensing, enforcement, and economic opportunity. He is a critical voice connecting the social equity movement to the broader civil rights framework.

LA's Defining Cannabis Brands

Seed Junky Genetics

Seed Junky Genetics is arguably the most influential cannabis breeding operation in the world. Based in LA, their genetic catalog reads like a greatest-hits list of modern cannabis:

• Wedding Cake — one of the most popular strains of the past decade
• Ice Cream Cake — a creamy, sedating cross that became a dispensary staple
• Kush Mints — the breeding backbone of dozens of modern crosses
• Jealousy — one of the hottest strains in recent years, now widely cultivated

When you buy premium flower at an LA dispensary, there is a good chance the genetics trace back to Seed Junky. Their work has defined what modern cannabis looks, smells, and tastes like.

STIIIZY

Founded by James Kim and Tony Huang, STIIIZY has grown from a vape pod brand into one of the most dominant cannabis companies in California. Key facts:

• 6,500 sq ft DTLA flagship with a 29-foot mural by street artist Retna
• Dominant position in the vape category with their proprietary pod system
• Expanding retail presence across California with distinctive, design-forward dispensaries
• Also operates a delivery service reaching across LA

STIIIZY represents the corporatization of cannabis — a brand that competes on scale, design, and marketing as much as on product quality. Their dispensaries feel more like Apple Stores than traditional head shops.

Jeeter

Jeeter dominates the pre-roll category in California. In a market where pre-rolls are the fastest-growing product segment, Jeeter has captured an outsized share through aggressive branding, consistent quality, and a portfolio of infused pre-rolls (Jeeter Juice) that command premium prices. Their baby jeeter (mini infused pre-roll) format became a category-defining product.

710 Labs

710 Labs is the gold standard of solventless cannabis concentrates. "710" is "OIL" upside down, and the brand has built a cult following among concentrate connoisseurs for:

• Live rosin, persy rosin, and hash rosin pressed from premium fresh-frozen flower
• Small-batch production with an emphasis on terpene preservation
• A "List" membership program that offers first access to limited drops
• Premium pricing ($60–$120+ per gram) justified by craft production methods

710 Labs is to concentrates what a Michelin-starred restaurant is to dining — expensive, exclusive, and genuinely exceptional for those who appreciate the craft.

Alien Labs / Connected Cannabis Co.

Alien Labs and its parent company Connected Cannabis Co. have been operating since 2010, making them one of the longest-running legal cannabis operations in California. Known for:

• Genetics-focused approach with in-house breeding programs
• Consistent premium flower quality that has won multiple awards
• Multi-state expansion while maintaining quality control
• A brand identity rooted in craft cultivation rather than celebrity or hype

Raw Garden

Raw Garden holds the position as the #1 live resin brand in California. Their model: clean, refined cannabis products at prices more accessible than ultra-premium brands like 710 Labs. Raw Garden's vape cartridges and ready-to-use pens are among the most purchased cannabis products in the state — a middle-ground between budget vapes and luxury concentrates.

For Celebrity Brands

LA's celebrity cannabis ecosystem — Cookies, Khalifa Kush, Tyson 2.0, Houseplant, Snoop Dogg, and the Jay-Z/TPCO collapse — is covered in detail on our Celebrity Cannabis Culture page.

Equity Pioneers

For the stories of Gorilla Rx (Kika Keith), Green Qween, Josephine & Billie's, and Pirate Town Cannabis, see our Social Equity in LA page.

Official Sources

• LA Department of Cannabis Regulation (DCR)
• California Department of Cannabis Control (DCC)
• DCC License Search