Bob Marley's family has launched what it calls the first global cannabis brand based on the life and legacy of the Jamaican icon.
"My dad would be so happy to see people understanding the healing power of the herb," Marley's daughter Cedella told The Guardian. "He viewed the herb as something spiritual that could awaken our well-being, deepen our reflection, connect us to nature and liberate our creativity."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Bob Marley died of cancer in 1981 and spent much of life championing the benefits of marijuana as part of his Rastafarian lifestyle, reportedly smoking up to a pound of it a week.
The venture is a result of a deal made between Marley's family and a US private equity firm, Privateer Holdings. As a result, "some may doubt that [the] humble Rastafarian would support the frank capitalism of Marley Natural," writes NBC's Tony Dokoupil.
However, his widow Rita Marley insists it was what her husband spent his life fighting for. "You can depend on Bob. He's 100 percent behind what is happening. He's happy because this is what we dreamed of," she said.
"There is probably no better known cultural icon related to cannabis than Bob Marley," said Brendan Kennedy, chief executive of Privateer Holdings. "He called cannabis 'the herb', and he said the herb is the healing of the nation. And he wasn't talking about a country, he was talking about mankind."
Cannabis is now legal for recreational use in the US states of Washington and Colorado and earlier this month residents of Oregon and Alaska voted in favour of legalising the drug.
-
Should Labour break manifesto pledge and raise taxes?Today's Big Question There are ‘powerful’ fiscal arguments for an income tax rise but it could mean ‘game over’ for the government
-
Nigerian Modernism: an ‘entrancing, enlightening exhibition’The Week Recommends Tate Modern’s ‘revelatory’ show includes 250 works examining Nigerian art pre- and post independence
-
To the point: the gender divide over exclamation marksTalking Point 'Men harbouring urges to be more exclamative' can finally take a breath – this is what using the punctuation really conveys
-
Sanae Takaichi: Japan’s Iron Lady set to be the country’s first woman prime ministerIn the Spotlight Takaichi is a member of Japan’s conservative, nationalist Liberal Democratic Party
-
Russia is ‘helping China’ prepare for an invasion of TaiwanIn the Spotlight Russia is reportedly allowing China access to military training
-
Interpol arrests hundreds in Africa-wide sextortion crackdownIN THE SPOTLIGHT A series of stings disrupts major cybercrime operations as law enforcement estimates millions in losses from schemes designed to prey on lonely users
-
China is silently expanding its influence in American citiesUnder the Radar New York City and San Francisco, among others, have reportedly been targeted
-
How China uses 'dark fleets' to circumvent trade sanctionsThe Explainer The fleets are used to smuggle goods like oil and fish
-
One year after mass protests, why are Kenyans taking to the streets again?today's big question More than 60 protesters died during demonstrations in 2024
-
What happens if tensions between India and Pakistan boil over?TODAY'S BIG QUESTION As the two nuclear-armed neighbors rattle their sabers in the wake of a terrorist attack on the contested Kashmir region, experts worry that the worst might be yet to come
-
Why Russia removed the Taliban's terrorist designationThe Explainer Russia had designated the Taliban as a terrorist group over 20 years ago
