Kaya Group, a medicinal Ganja herb house in the Caribbean and holistic, wellness-focused ecosystem, announced plans to showcase many exciting events leading up to the fifth anniversary of the first legal sale of medical cannabis in the Caribbean on March 10. Kaya intends to kick off March by supporting/sponsoring the 2023 Irie FM Music Awards ceremony on Wednesday, March 1, 2023, which awards the best and most popular elements of Jamaican music and culture during the past year. Irie FM, Jamaica’s leading radio station, hosts the annual event as part of its mission to honor Jamaicans in music.
Bali Vaswani, CEO. of Kaya Group and NUGL, said, “The IRIE FM awards are among the most respected honors for local Jamaican Reggae artists, so it is only fitting that we support them. As proud Jamaicans, Kaya empowers local communities by respecting and supporting our Jamaican culture.” Mr. Vaswani continued, “Respect drives every decision we make – from our relationships with our employees to how we treat our community, herbs, brand, products, and nature. We proudly support the artists who make up such an important part of our Jamaican culture.”
The IRIE FM Music Awards will be broadcast live on https://www.iriefm.net and IRIE FM’s YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/user/iriefmjam. Dancehall entertainer Valiant is nominated for eight awards, Popcaan is nominated for five awards, Spice and Shenseea are nominated for four awards, and Dexta Daps, Shaneil Muir, Stalk Ashley, Moyann, and Skeng each have three nominations. Other nominees include Ding Dong, Koffee, Masicka, D’Angel, Alkaline, Burna Boy, Jada Kingdom, Shaggy, Sean Paul, and several other Reggae artists.
In February 2015, Jamaica’s legislature voted to amend the nation’s cannabis laws to allow the possession of up to 2 ounces and the cultivation of up to five plants. Practitioners of the Rastafari faith could use cannabis for religious purposes, and tourists with a prescription for medical marijuana could apply for permits to purchase small amounts. On March 10, 2018, Balram Vaswani, a long-time advocate for the legalization of marijuana, opened the first legal, medical marijuana dispensary, Kaya Herb House, in Drax Hall, St. Ann. Thousands of people lined up to buy medical cannabis marking the first time they could buy cannabis legally with a receipt. Unlike dispensaries in the U.S., Kaya Herb House does not rush each transaction. A typical transaction at a Kaya Herb House might take an hour and a half at our retail complex, as customers might take the time to enjoy our consumption lounge, Dab Bar, have an espresso, pizza or simply a cup of Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee.
The Jamaican operations of Kaya Group include three Kaya Herb House premium retail locations. The Kaya Herb House in Kingston is only a few minutes from Bob Marley’s house and across the road from T.G.I. Fridays in the heart of Kingston within the golden triangle. The Kaya Herb House in the historic town of Falmouth is located in front of the cruise ship terminal about 30 minutes from Montego Bay. The flagship Kaya Herb House retail complex, cultivation, and processing operations are in Ocho Rios. Kaya recently opened the first phase of its Wellness Center at The Gap, located in the pristine hills of the Jamaican Blue Mountains, part of the UNESCO World Heritage site.
