After decades of being the unofficial face of cannabis, Bob Marley is set to become synonymous with it as a legal, globally branded product.

Several of his family members are launching Marley Natural, an international company selling heritage cannabis strains, weed-infused creams and smoking accessories.

Backed by legal cannabis private equity firm Privateer Holdings, the initiative looks set for major success. The family are combining a socially conscious approach with organic growing practices, and this combined with Marley’s image should make the brand a hit with newly legal cannabis consumers.

The brand also offers a far higher level of authenticity than most celebrity-fronted products. Aside from Bob Marley’s infamous love of “the herb”, the heritage strains are based on those he smoked and the accessories are based on those he used.

As well as being good for Marley Natural, this authentic, socially conscious approach is likely to help bring a positive image to the legal cannabis industry, associating the drug with an organic, family-run businesses rather than a faceless “big cannabis” brand.

With more and more regions making the drug legal, cannabis is seeing a significant rebrand, which Marley’s family members feel Bob would have appreciated.

“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,” said his wife, Rita Marley.

“My dad would be so happy to see people understanding the healing power of the herb,” said Cedella Marley, Bob’s daughter.

“He viewed the herb as something spiritual that could awaken our well-being, deepen our reflection, connect us to nature and liberate our creativity.”

At the heart of the brand, and its equity backer Privateer Holdings, is the advocacy of further legalisation.

“Marley Natural is an authentic way to honour his legacy by adding his voice to the conversation about cannabis and helping end the social harms caused by prohibition,” added Cedella.

Whether the brand has a direct impact on prohibition is questionable, but Marley Natural should help further the image of cannabis as a mainstream product that can be enjoyed by regular, professional people – something that is essential if it is to become an accepted recreational drug.

The products, which will be sold from late next year, will be distributed in regions where cannabis has been legalised, and if all goes well should become an international face for the drug.

While the prospect of a global brand for cannabis may be somewhat disturbing to some, users are likely to be far happier that the Marley family are taking this on, than a nameless company with more in common with a FTSE 100 business than your average user.

In short, Marley Natural could help protect the industry from becoming an annexe of Big Pharma.

“The Marley family has been an admired voice in the cannabis movement for over 50 years and Privateer Holdings is the leader in building professional, mainstream cannabis brands,” said Brendan Kennedy, CEO of Privateer Holdings.

“We are honoured to work with the Marley family to bring his voice to a professional, authentic and modern brand that will be a defining first in the cannabis industry.”