The company’s business strategy is indicative of how the market has matured, said Taylor West, deputy director of the National Cannabis Industry Association.

“There is an increasing emphasis on developing a brand identity for your product,” West said. “Marley Natural is appealing to people who haven’t necessarily been cannabis consumers for a long time, and are looking for customers who aren’t just the pop culture stereotypes.”

While Marley Natural isn’t the first brand to try that approach, “they have the potential to be very influential in that space,” West said.
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While philanthropic efforts can add a sheen to a business’ image, they’re a crucial part of being in the cannabis industry, West noted.

“More than other industries, this is built on a movement. A lot of the industry pioneers started on the advocacy side, so it’s important to a lot of people in this industry that we don’t lose sight of that.”

West called Marley Natural’s RiseUp initiative a “smart move.”

“Depending on where you live, you can still be arrested for being part of this industry,” West said. Buying and cultivating marijuana is still illegal in many U.S. states and under federal law. “There are still a lot of people in jail or with criminal records because of this plant,” she said. “It’s important that this business not forget that.”

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/bob-marley-cannabis-brand_us_56afb102e4b057d7d7c7add6