Going to pot? The long-deceased reggae music legend’s name will be used to market Marley Natural, a line of heirloom Jamaican cannabis strains
More than 33 years after he died of cancer, Jamaican reggae music legend Bob Marley is getting ready to stir things up posthumously , if not lively up the surging commercial marijuana market, as the name and face of what is being billed as the world’s first international marijuana brand.
Marley Natural, which is described as heirloom Jamaican cannabis strains,” is targeted to ship before the end of 2015 to sales outlets in countries where pot is legal. To help ensure a big roll-out, Marley Natural products will be packaged and marketed with input from the same P.R. agency that played a key role in branding Starbucks Coffee and New Balance running shoes. A Marley Natural slogan, Make way for the positive day, has already been introduced.
At least one of Bob Marley’s quotes – When you smoke the herb it reveals you to yourself – is also being used in the marketing campaign for Marley Natural. Members of the deceased reggae singer-songwriter’s family announced Marley Natural on Tuesday morning’s edition of the TV show NBC Today.
An accompanying video, narrated by an unidentified woman and featuring Marley’s classic songs One Love and Could You Be Loved, proclaims that Marley Natural is inspired by a deep respect for nature, for its power to awaken our well-being, we embark on a new chapter of his legacy to realize more fully the benefits of cannabis for the mind, body and spirit. Make way for the positive day.
The video makes no mention of Bob Marley having been, as many Jamaicans and reggae artists are to this day, a devout Rastarfarian. The monotheistic Rastafari religious movement regards marijuana as a “sacrament” and contends its use is, in fact, sanctioned by the Bible.
How so? Rastafarians point to a line in Psalms 104:14: “He causes the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man.” The video also omits any mention of the fact Marley reportedly smoked nearly a pound of pot per week.
Marley Natural is the brainchild of the Seattle-based private equity company Privateer Holdings, which exclusively focuses on marijuana industry products and investments. Marley Natural will also sell an array of other pot-related products, including marijuana creams, lotions and various accessories, such as e-cigarette-styled vaporizers, inspired by both Marley and marijuana.
In a taped video statement provided to NBC News, Cedella Marley, 47, Bob’s first-born daughter, said: It just seems natural that Daddy should be part of this conversation. As Daddy would say: ‘Make way for the positive day’.
The video also includes Rohan Marley, 42, one of Bob and Rita Marley‘s sons. Herb is for the healing of the nation, he said. Herb is for the meditation; herb is for the higher vibrations.
Cedella and Rohan’s mother, Rita Marley, agrees, saying: “My husband believed ‘the herb’ was a natural and positive part of life, and he felt it was important to the world. He looked forward to this day.”
Apparently, Marley also looked forward to more widespread marijuana cultivation and sales.
A statement posted Tuesday morning on his website reads: As a brand with a strong social conscience, Marley Natural’s business model and philanthropic initiatives will be built to ensure that families and communities who have been harmed by prohibition have the opportunity to benefit from the new, legal cannabis economy.
The Marley estate earned an estimated $20 million over the past year, according to a Forbes magazine tally published last month. Those pre-Marley Natural earnings could now grow significantly higher. The launch of Marley Natural is the latest example of how what is becoming known as canna-business is taking off in a big way.
Four states – Alaska, Colorado, Oregon and Washington – plus the District of Columbia allow pot to be sold for recreational purposes. In September alone, taxes on pot products legally sold in Colorado brought more than $26 million to the state’s coffers. Meanwhile, the use of pot has been decriminalized in 23 other states. Medical marijuana is legal in California, although the proliferation of pot dispensaries remains contentious in many cities in the state, including San Diego.
Coming next week (well, maybe): Former members of the Grateful Dead and a slew of hip-hop stars jostle to be the first U.S. music to announce their own line of pot products.