A National Voice for Cannabis Equity and Community
Meet Kebra Smith-Bolden, Founder of LIT New Haven
Kebra Smith-Bolden, RN, is a nationally recognized cannabis culture policy expert, healthcare executive, and equity-driven entrepreneur reshaping the cannabis industry in Connecticut and beyond. As the founder and owner of LIT New Haven, she has built her career at the intersection of medicine, policy, and community empowerment.
A registered nurse with a Certificate of Proficiency in Cannabis, Kebra is a pioneer in cannabis nursing and patient education. She is the Founder & CEO of CannaHealth, a multi-location medical cannabis certification practice that has helped thousands of patients safely access medical cannabis while mentoring new entrepreneurs through an innovative licensing model. She is also a Founding Member of the Cannabis Nurse Network and a member of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing. In 2019, she was honored as Nurse Leader for Cannabis Nursing and is currently pursuing her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree at Purdue Global University.
Beyond healthcare, Kebra has been a leading architect of equitable cannabis reform in Connecticut. She serves as President of Connecticut United for Reform and Equity (CTURE) and was named 2019 Connecticut Cannabis Advocate of the Year by NECANN. Her policy leadership includes work with the Marijuana Policy Project, Minority Cannabis Business Association, and National Cannabis Industry Association, where she has advanced social equity, public health protections, and inclusive industry standards.
Kebra’s voice and expertise have been featured in outlets including Essence, Forbes, High Times, HuffPost, Hartford Courant, New Haven Register, and New Haven Independent. She is also a sought-after national speaker on cannabis policy, nursing, social equity, and entrepreneurship.
Her leadership has earned numerous honors, including Community Leader of the Year from the Connecticut Cannabis Chamber of Commerce and Woman-Owned Business of the Year from the Southern Connecticut Black Chamber of Commerce.
Through LIT New Haven, Kebra continues her mission: building culturally grounded, community-centered cannabis spaces that reflect education, empowerment, and economic opportunity. Her work is rooted in one core belief—cannabis reform must be health-centered, justice-driven, and community-led.
