This Reggae Artist Wants All Caribbean Nations To Decriminalize Marijuana

News Americas, New York, NY, November 14, 2024: A Grammy-winning reggae artist is urging all Caribbean governments to decriminalize marijuana.

Damian Marley, seen here performing onstage at Last Prisoner Project’s Inaugural Journey To Justice Gala at Sony Hall on September 24, 2024 in New York City, wants marijuana decriminalized across the Caribbean. (Photo by Johnny Nunez/Getty Images for Last Prisoner Project)

Reggae artist Damian “Junior Gong” Marley, son of the late reggae great, Robert “Nesta’ Marley, is emphasizing its medicinal benefits and cultural significance. Appearing on October 26th at the World Creole Music Festival in Dominica, Marley urged more nations to follow in the footsteps of countries that have eased restrictions on cannabis.

A long-time advocate for marijuana use in both personal and religious contexts, Marley highlighted the plant’s healing potential, performing his hit song “Medication” alongside his brother, Stephen Marley. During the performance, Marley recited a poem celebrating the therapeutic and industrial uses of cannabis, underscoring the scientific and cultural support for decriminalization.

Marley commended Dominica for decriminalizing possession of small amounts in 2020, which permits up to 28 grams for personal use and the cultivation of three plants. Since 2014, several Caribbean territories – including Bermuda, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Antigua and Barbuda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and the U.S. Virgin Islands – have enacted or approved laws to decriminalize the use of small amounts of marijuana. Additionally, Barbados and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines have legalized medical cannabis cultivation.

As more Caribbean countries consider easing cannabis regulations, including Guyana and The Bahamas, Marley hopes to see regional governments expand their recognition of marijuana’s role in both healthcare and cultural practices, especially for the Rastafarian community.

In 2016, Marley, the youngest son of reggae legend and cannabis cult hero Bob Marley, went into business with the legal weed company Ocean Grown Extracts to convert a 77,000 square foot former California prison into a cannabis grow-op that would cultivate medical marijuana for state dispensaries. In 2017, he was also one of 20 investors who acquired a 60 percent stake in High Times, its digital media platforms and its increasingly popular Cannabis Cup trade shows. His net worth is estimated at USD 20 million.