Damian Marley Turning California Prison into Medical Marijuana Farm

Damian Marley Turning a  77,000 Square Foot Claremont Custody Center into a Medical Marijuana Growing & Distribution Center

Damian Marley is turning a California prison into a Medical Marijuana farm. Bob Marley’s youngest son is partnering with cannabis extract manufacturer, Ocean Grown Extracts, to bring his million-dollar business model to life. Together they are converting a defunct California prison into a medical marijuana farm. The 77,000 square foot Claremont Custody Center will produce medical marijuana for distribution to dispensaries. While Damian plans to cash in on the high demand for marijuana, he also isn’t blind to the irony involved in his latest venture.

“Many people sacrificed so much for the herb over the years who got locked up,” Marley said. “If this [venture] helps people and it’s used for medicinal purposes and inspires people, it’s a success.”

The Drug Policy Alliance reports that there were nearly half a million marijuana felony and misdemeanor arrests in California between 2006 and 2015.

The Family Legacy

The youngest son of reggae superstar Bob Marley is continuing the family legacy with a series of cannabis-related ventures. Damian is going against the more traditional celebrity licensing ventures, and instead is creating and investing in a multitude of marijuana businesses. Marley noted his newest prison venture will also present a lot of opportunity for the economy. This project will mark an economic turnaround for the town of Coalinga, which erased its $3.3 million civic debt upon receipt of Ocean Grow’s $4.1 million dollar investment. The new center will potentially generate 100 jobs as well as an estimated million dollars in annual tax revenue for the California neighborhood of Coalinga, according to Billboard Magazines profile of Marley.

California’s Proposition 64

Propostion 64 which could legalize weed for recreational use — will hopefully get passed in November.

Bob Marley once was quoted “When you smoke the herb, it reveals you to yourself.”

Damian Marley has been revealed as a front runner in the soon to be booming California Cannabis industry. The proposition will impose a 15% excise tax on all marijuana sales. The Drug Policy Alliance estimates that, if California does fully legalize and tax marijuana, they would bring in an annual revenue of $1.4 billion dollars on its own. 60% of the fund will be directed towards youth substance abuse prevention, treatment, and education. 20% goes to helping state and local law enforcement and 20% will be used for environmental restoration, cleanup, and enforcement efforts.

Additionally, a portion of revenue will be allocated for medical marijuana research and to studying implementation outcomes. As well as revenue from the legalization it will also save state and local governments $100 million annually due to reduced legal and incarceration costs.

Prop. 64’s regulations allows adults age 21+ to possess, transport, purchase, consume and share up to one ounce of marijuana and eight grams of marijuana concentrates. Using marijuana in public and driving while impaired will remain illegal.

Marley and his partners are preparing for a outpouring of cannabis consumers. With the taboo of weed-smoking gradually coming to an end, Marley is still surprised it’s happening in his lifetime.

“I didn’t know it would happen this way. This was definitely something we were working towards for a long time, before I was even born. There was Peter Tosh’s ‘Legalize It’ and songs like that — this is something our culture has been working towards. I was optimistic that it would one day be legal — and now it is here.”

Resources:

Californians for Responsible Marijuana Reform
Drug Policy Alliance