Willie Nelson To Launch Willies Reserve Marijuana Brand

The legendary Willie Nelson has never hidden his love of marijuana, so it shouldn’t come as a huge surprise that the Red Header Stranger is about to get involved in the booming cannabis industry. As pointed out by Relix, Nelson will soon launch his own brand of marijuana with plans in the works for Willie-approved stores and smoking accessories as well.

[Photo by Paul R. Giunta]

The Daily Beast spoke with Michael Bowman, who is working with Willie Nelson on Willie’s Reserve. “Willie has spent a lifetime in support of cannabis, both the industrial hemp side and the marijuana side. He wants [Willie’s Reserve] to be something that’s reflective of his passion. Ultimately, it’s his. But it was developed by his family, and their focus on environmental and social issues, and in particular this crazy war on drugs, and trying to be a bright light amongst this trail as we’re trying to extract ourselves from the goo of prohibition,” Bowman explained. “Really he wants it, at the end of the day, to envelop what his personal morals and convictions are. So from the store itself to how they’ll work with suppliers and how things are operated, it’s going to be very reflective of Willie’s life.”

Bowman says Willie’s Reserve stores are in the works for states where marijuana has been legalized and will not only sell Willie’s brand of weed. “There will be our own, and then there will be opportunities for other growers, who meet quality standards. Let’s just call it the anti-Walmart model. Personally, internally, that’s what we call it. A certain standard by which growers have to account for carbon and such, in a way that empowers small growers who are doing the right thing.”

When The Daily Beast asked about just when the stores will open, Bowman responded “In the next calendar year that there will be movement. As you can imagine, it’s not a problem in states like Colorado, Washington, Alaska… There’s a pretty clear path on where retail can go.”