 | |
| Industry | Cannabis |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Seattle, Washington ,United States |
| Parent | Privateer Holdings |
| Website | marleynatural |
Marley Natural is the officialcannabis brand ofBob Marley, developed by his estate in conjunction with theprivate equity firmPrivateer Holdings, which develops cannabis industry brands. The brand is based inSeattle, Washington.
Marley Natural offers three categories of goods: cannabis (whole flower, pre-rolls, and oil cartridges), body care products, and lifestyle accessories including smoking accessories. Marley Natural body care and smoking accessories are available online and at select retailers across the United States. Cannabis is available in California, Oregon, and Washington state.[1][2] The brand launched in February 2016 on the 71st anniversary of Bob Marley's birthday and celebrated the event at an exclusive event in the Hollywood Hills that was featured inRolling Stone magazine.[3]
Marley Natural has a social impact program, Rise Up, that supports philanthropic groups in the United States andJamaica.[4] In August 2016 Marley Natural hosted an event inOregon that paid the legal fees of men and women applying to expunge non-violent cannabis convictions from their criminal records and connected them with legal volunteers to aid in the applications.[5]
According to the BBC, Marley's daughter,Cedella Marley is the spokesman for the new company.[6] Many other members of the Marley family have been involved with the company includingStephen Marley,Rohan Marley andDonisha Prendergast.[7]
The Guardian noted disquiet about the use of Marley's name as a cannabis brand, commenting that recreating him as the "Marlboro Man of Marijuana" was a "cynical, money-generating move". They also noted that Marley is already ranked fifth onForbes's list of top-earning dead celebrities, earning about US$20 million a year for his estate.[8] Cedella and other members of the Marley family have responded to these claims in the press. "My dad would be so happy to see people understanding the healing power of the herb," she said in a statement.[9]
