My Thoughts on Technology and Jamaica: How Marley Natural and Privateer Holdings benefit from Amendments to the Dangerous Drugs Act 2015

Monday, February 2, 2015

How Marley Natural and Privateer Holdings benefit from Amendments to the Dangerous Drugs Act 2015

“There is probably no better known cultural icon related to cannabis than Bob Marley. 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.”

CEO of Privateer Holdings Brendan Kennedy, commenting during the Press Release on Tuesday 18 November 2014 during the launch of Marley Natural line of Marijuana Products
Friday February 6th is fast approaching.

For those of my readers who are Jamaican, that’s the honourable Robert “Nesta” Marley’s Birthday, for which free events involving Corporate Sponsors Digicel and various Reggae Artiste are being planned at the Bob Marley Museum, 56 Hope Road and Tuff Gong International, 220 Marcus Garvey Drive Kingston as stated in the article “Free Events On Marley's 70th”, published Friday January 30, 2015, The Jamaica Gleaner.


The day's activities include discussions on reggae music, fashion and Film. But Marijuana (Cannabis Sativa) will be on everyone lips aside from Ben and Jerry's Bob Marley-themed Satisfy My Bowl Ice Cream as noted in my blog article entitled “Ben and Jerry's Bob Marley-themed Satisfy My Bowl Ice Cream flavour - 30th Anniversary Tribute to Bob Marley's Legend for his 1Love Foundation”.

This Birthday celebration is special as the Marley’s have entered into a partnership with Seattle-based private equity firm Privateer Holdings to make a branded Marijuana (Cannabis Sativa) product called Marley Natural as stated in the article “Reggae icon Bob Marley's family to lend name to cannabis brand”, published Tuesday, November 18, 2014 10:54 AM, The Jamaica Observer.

So says their Press Release on Tuesday November 18th 2015 on the newly minted Marley Natural Website, possibly a placeholder for an E-commerce website to be launched with that URL (Universal Resource Locater) a little late in the 2015. Here’s a snapshot!



Despite the announcement last year in November 2014, very little has been leaked to International media as reported in “Official Bob Marley Marijuana Is Coming”, published Nov. 18, 2014 by Jacob Davidson, Time Magazine and “Bob Marley family launches ‘first world cannabis brand’”, published 19 November 2014, BBC News as to the details of the deal between the Bob Marley Family and Privateer Holdings.

What we do know is that Bob Marley had so “much things to say” about Marijuana (Cannabis Sativa) and as such, implies that Marley Natural is a part of his “conscious vibrations”, so to speak! To quote Rita Marley, Bob’s widow: “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.”


But based on the potential products, this “first world Brand” of Marijuana (Cannabis Sativa) may potentially become a Jamaican and International competitor to Dr. Henry Lowe Medicanja, which in October 2014, a mere month later, launched their IPO (Initial Public Offering) as noted in my blog article entitled “Dr. Henry Lowe Medicanja's parent BTRDI launching IPO in 2015 - Why P.J. Patterson “fly the gate” for Hemp and Marijuana products to cure 84 ailments”.

So what is Marley Natural and will the 70th Birthday of Robert “Nesta” Marley be a revelation of more details on the range of products to come from this partnership?

Marley’s and Privateer Holdings – Marley Natural in keeping with Father’s Spirit

Bob Marley, it seems, agrees with all of this as suggested in the article “Bob Marley fronts marijuana brand to sell healing power of the herb”, published Tuesday 18 November 2014 12.44 GMT by Dominic Rushe, the UK Guardian.

At least that’s what Cedella Marley said during the Press Conference back on Tuesday 18th November 2014 announcing the deal, quote: “My dad would be so happy to see people understanding the healing power of the herb. He viewed the herb as something spiritual that could awaken our well-being, deepen our reflection, connect us to nature and liberate our creativity.”

Queue the Promotional video for Marley Natural!


The Marley Natural brand, which will be based in New York, will be used for a range of hemp-infused topicals and accessories made with Marijuana (Cannabis Sativa) grow on Farm in states where growing, production and processing of the plant is legal. It not only involves the plant, but as the making of e-Cigarettes, Rolling paper, Hookas and other paraphenalia associated with the traditional usage of Marijuana (Cannabis Sativa), that being smoking.

The agreement is set to kick off in the Second or Third Quarter of 2015 and is expected to last some 30 years, during which time the Marley name will be used on packaging. Plans also involve the Marley's making deals with Farmers to grow Marijuana (Cannabis Sativa) might involve Jamaican growers.

Debates on amendments to the Dangerous Drugs Act 2015 - Marley’s stand to benefit

For this reason, there is a bit more anticipation surrounding Bob Marley's Birthday. With the Senate (Upper House) now debating the amendments to the Dangerous Drugs Act 2015  as reported in my blog article entitled “Marijuana Decriminalization Debates coming January 30th 2015 - Cannabis Licensing Authority to regulate Jamaica’s Marijuana Industry as Hemp free from stigma”, now seems the right time to jump back on the Marijuana bandwagon.

Already the Upper House Debates have gone in the direction of the Rastafarians, with evident attempts from the Opposition to define “Rasta” and who are members of the Rastafarian Faith.
This in order to give them special leeway to smoke and imbibe the “Holy Sacrament” as noted in the article “Define rasta under ganja Bill — Opposition”, published Monday, February 02, 2015 by BALFORD HENRY Observer senior reporter, The Jamaica Observer.

Jamaican musicians have always been singing about Marijuana (Cannabis Sativa) as noted in the article “Moving The Marijuana”, published Sunday January 25, 2015, by Mel Cooke, Gleaner Writer, The Jamaica Gleaner, stirring up public consciousness about Marijuana (Cannabis Sativa) legalization.



Once the amendments to the Dangerous Drugs Act 2015 are passed into law, we might be seeing a gold rush towards making everything from Marijuana and Hemp based Soaps and teas, but also Marley Branded clothing promoting Bob Marley’s love for the Holy Sacrament.

That includes product made by Bob Marley backed Marley Natural and the little-known Medicanja. Can you say “competition”?

More as the Debates on the amendments to the Dangerous Drugs Act 2015 continues!

Here’s the link:



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