'I Thought He Wanted To Be A Drug Dealer,' How Cannabis Healed A Father-Son Rift And Sparked Two Thriving Businesses

Carlos "Los" Arias spent years building one of California's most ambitious cannabis companies. But the moment that mattered most didn't happen under grow lights or in a boardroom.

It happened at Cedars-Sinai Hospital, where Arias, then deep in Colorado's cannabis industry, begged a doctor to recommend medical cannabis to his skeptical Cuban-American father, Manuel F. Arias.

"I saw cannabis as a drug, and my son was telling me he wanted to be a drug dealer," Manuel would later recall. "How could I be happy about that?"

What followed changed both of their lives and laid the groundwork for a new legacy.

From Misunderstanding To Reconciliation

In 2012, Manuel was preparing to hand over the family's health insurance brokerage to his son Los, who, fresh out of law school, had other plans. He wanted to get into the cannabis industry—an idea his father couldn't support.

Then came Manuel's stroke in 2014.

During recovery, Manuel's physician at Cedars-Sinai turned out to be a medical cannabis advocate. On his son's urging, Manuel began taking edibles and tinctures. Sleep improved. Healing accelerated. And slowly, something else happened: the wall between father and son began to fall.

"Cannabis helped save my life," Manuel says now. "I realized Los was right all along."

Building Green Horizons—And New Ones

By 2015, Los was co-owner of RiverRock, one of Colorado's first licensed cannabis businesses. After exiting that company, he returned to California and, in 2017, secured one of the state's first cultivation licenses under Proposition 64. A year later, he co-founded Green Horizons, a large-scale cannabis facility in Coachella.

Today, the company operates a 101,787 sq. ft. Phase I facility and is preparing to break ground on Phase II, pushing toward a planned one million sq. ft. campus. The company has drawn high-profile attention, including a partnership with Tommy Hilfiger.

But Los still felt something was missing.

The Birth Of Flostar Group

Quietly, Los reached out to Amarilys Serrano, a longtime associate of his father's in the insurance business. Together, they launched Flostar Group, a new brokerage serving both cannabis and non-cannabis clients, with a twist: Los made sure the website named Manuel as the founder.

"He is the founder. He started it," said Los. "I'm just closing the circle some years later and proving that love doesn't have a timeline. He's my hero."

Flostar now services companies across industries, including Green Horizons. Serrano's three decades of experience, paired with Los' network, helped secure millions of dollars in premiums in the brokerage's early days. While cannabis is part of the client base, most Flostar clients operate in other industries.

"Taking care of people's health and providing great insurance at affordable prices is relevant for all companies," said Los.

Manuel, now 84, serves as chairman emeritus and still helps with accounting. "I've paid a lot of bills over the years, and it keeps my mind sharp," he said. "And then I get to eat an edible to relax. It's never too late to turn over a new leaf."

Speaking At Benzinga's Cannabis Capital Conference

Carlos "Los" Arias will be speaking at the Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference, returning to Chicago from June 8–10.

He'll join a high-powered panel titled: “Can the Sun Compete with the Socket? Greenhouse vs Indoor in the Fight for Premium Pricing.”

As indoor-grown cannabis continues to dominate premium pricing, the panel will explore whether rising energy costs and next-gen greenhouse technology can shift the model.

Panelists include:

• Los Arias, CEO, Green Horizons
• Darren Lampert, CEO, GrowGeneration
• Michael Meade, Green Horizons
• Michael Salaman, President, GrowGeneration
• Moderator: Rachelle Gordon, GreenState

Tickets are on sale now. Visit the Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference website to join the conversation and meet top executives shaping the future of cannabis.

Image courtesy of Los Arias.