IN 2016, Wiz Khalifa, who has generated social notoriety from toking on a joint while walking on a red carpet, created his strain, Khalifa Kush. The rapper is also endorsing the Raw line of rolling papers.
In 2015, the singer-songwriter, Melissa Etheridge launched a line of marijuana-infused “wine tinctures.” Etheridge, who is a breast cancer survivor, credits marijuana with helping her get through chemotherapy. She describes her wine tinctures as providing an herbal smell with the “weed taste,” and providing “full body relaxation.”
Described as the “original stoner celebrity,” Tommy Chong launched his Chong’s Choice brand back in 2015. Despite the regulatory and operational challenges of launching a brand in multiple states, his brand was the first to be available in more than one state, and Chong’s Choice currently is produced and marketed in six states.
The original focus of Whoopi Goldberg’s and Maya Elisabeth’s “Whoopi and Maya” was on marijuana products formulated to end the pain associated with menstrual periods. Whoopi and Maya have expanded their line to now include products that provide other health and medical benefits. The product line now includes edibles, tinctures, topicals and even a soothing bath product.
Celebrity product branding is not limited to marijuana, concentrates, and edibles. During her 2014 Bangerz tour, Miley Cyrus endorsed a line of 24-karat gold wrapper rolling papers under the Shine brand name. With the low price of rolling papers and the trend toward extracts and concentrates, it’s questionable whether the dollar volume of the Shine product line will ever be significant, despite Miley’s branding.
Bob Marley died in 1981, but that didn’t stop his descendants from launching the Marley Natural product line. Marley’s association with marijuana is legendary. The Marley Natural product line was launched with Bob Marley’s saying as a tag-line, “Here is a thing that gives you a little time to yourself, so you can live.” In addition to marijuana products, the product line now includes body care products and smoking accessories.
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