We sat down with Rohan Marley ahead of his visit this Friday.
Here’s what he had to say about Lion Order and how the brand keeps culture and community at the forefront.
“Lion Order steps into New York with respect for the culture, the streets, and the legacy of those who came before.”
— Rohan Marley
Jesse · You’ve had a long relationship with this plant, what made bringing Lion Order to NYC so important?
Rohan· New York is legacy, music, resistance, the herb that moved through these streets when nobody was supposed to touch it. To come home through Housing Works, a shop that gives back to the same communities the war on drugs took from, that’s righteousness.
Jesse · Housing Works was founded with ACT UP, activists who watched their community get abandoned during a critical time in NYC history.Our work has always been rooted in showing up for communities that were overlooked and pushed aside. What resonates with you about that and how does Lion Order connect to that message?
Rohan · My father (The legendary Bob Marley) didn’t look away either. He sang about it. He built around it. We as Rastafarians were told this plant was illegal while we knew it was medicine, for the body, for the mind, for the community. Housing Works said the same thing about the people the system left behind: we see you, we’re not moving. That’s not a coincidence. That’s a through-line.
Jesse ·Who gives anyone the right to say what’s legal when it comes to a plant this old and this connected to people’s lives?
Rohan ·Nobody. That’s the answer. Human beings have always found ways to enhance life. One day a person of great wisdom found this plant, and when it’s consumed with intention, it brings love, unity, brotherhood, family. That’s why Rastafarians see herb as a sacrament. Not a substance. A gift. The law was never about safety. It was about control. Housing Works knew that about the war on drugs before cannabis was even part of the conversation.
Jesse · When you talk about product quality, what does that really mean to you?
Rohan · It means my brothers smoke it and call me back. That’s the test. When the people I trust most say the smoke is right, that’s how I know we’re doing it properly. Legacy genetics. Indoor grown. Nothing we’d be embarrassed to put our name on. Flower to the people means the people deserve the best, not what’s left over.
Jesse ·What can folks expect when they come in to purchase Lion Order?
Rohan · Indoor-grown. Legacy genetics. 3.5g bags and 1g pre-rolls. Strains we picked because the smoke is right. Flower to the people.
MEET ROHAN and BE THE FIRST TO TRY LION ORDER· FRIDAY, MAY 15 at 3pm
