Bob Marley‘s legacy continues to evolve and live on more than 30 years after his passing. I’m not just referencing his timeless music, but more so the Marley name & brand that has found its way onto clothing, headphones, coffee, a soft-drink and now, a Cannabis brand!
Marley Natural will be the name of the world’s first Cannabis brand. With Marley Natural, the Marley name will expand as it joins the likes of Marley Coffee, headphones w/ House of Marley as well as Marley’s Mellow Mood, which is marketed as a relaxing soft drink.
Marley’s widow, Rita Marley, a long with two of his kids, Cedella and Rohan Marley have teamed up with Privateer Holdings, a private equity group specializing in the legal marijuana market, to exclusively mass-produce Marley’s “heirloom Jamaican cannabis strains” that Marley himself smoked.
Privateer’s chief executive, Brendan Kennedy, said in a statement that Marley was “someone who, in many ways, helped start the movement to end cannabis prohibition 50 years ago. It was just a natural fit between Bob Marley and this product. If you were to look for the most famous human being who ever walked the face of the earth related to cannabis, it would be Bob Marley.”
Marley Natural products will make their debut in shops located in countries and U.S. states where marijuana is legally sold by late 2015. “Bob’s favorite strains were the strains that were prevalent in Jamaica, like Lambsbread, Pineapple Skunk, and others that he used to get from Nine Mile, Saint Ann Parish, in Jamaica,” Kennedy said
Privateer owns Tilray, a 60,000-square-foot property on Vancouver Island, B.C. that ranks as the world’s largest marijuana grow farm. Company spokesman, Zach Hutson explained that, “this is a 30-year licensing deal between Marley Natural and Privateer.” It took 18 months for a deal between Marley & Privateer to materialize and things were finalized this last summer.
Aside from just smoke-able marijuana, look out for products that include lotions, creams & balms that are infused with cannabis and hemp, plus a line of accessories (like vaporizers in the style of e-cigarettes) and various other items to store and consume cannabis. It is designed to be sold like any regular product with professional packaging and marketed with the help of the same agency that branded New Balance & Starbucks Coffee. The cannabis itself will be sold as “loose packed” buds, oils or concentrate, executives have said; But don’t expect any pre-rolled joints.
The prohibition of Marijuana continues to gain steam as four states and Washington D.C. have legalized recreational marijuana and more than 20 states have legalized it, recognizing it for its medical benefits while about a dozen more states are considering similar laws. Guam became the first U.S. territory to legalize medical marijuana & last year, Uruguay became the first country to legalize recreational marijuana.
“My dad would be so happy to see people understanding the healing power of the herb,” said Cedella Marley, Bob’s daughter. “He viewed the herb as something spiritual that could awaken our well-being, deepen our reflection, connect us to nature and liberate our creativity.”
Stay tuned for more information & watch as the Marley family continues to be a pivotal partner in the prohibition of marijuana. This could also be the first celeb-branded marijuana. Lets see who else breaks news with tying their name to a marijuana brand. Maybe Snoop Dogg, Willie Nelson, Woody Harrelson or Cheech & Chong will be next.
Related Links:
Marley Natural Website
Bob Marley Website
House of Marley
Marley Coffee
Marley’s Mellow Mood
Article By: Mike Patti
Watch: Marley Natural Commercial
