This story first appeared on SFGate.com
Travis Barker might be the most quintessential California rock star alive. As drummer for Blink-182, he created the suburban punk soundtrack for an entire generation. He became an MTV reality star husband to a famous wife, survived a private plane crash and then became a reality TV husband once more to an even more famous wife.
So it only makes sense that Barker is now doing what might be the most California thing possible: launching his own signature line of weed products.
Barker launched his pot brand this month with a collection of prerolls, edibles and vape cartridges under the name Barker Canna Co. The line includes vegan gummies made with real fruit and a pack of pre-rolled joints called “Mini Barkies,” which should appeal to fans of “All the Small Things.” The products are being sold initially at The Syndicate dispensary locations in California, but Barker plans to expand to other stores and states with legal cannabis in the coming years, according to a press release.
Barker is a notable cannabis user — he told Men’s Health in 2021 that he once had a habit of smoking 20 blunts a day — and he already has a CBD company called Barker Wellness Co., which sells cannabis products that don’t contain THC, pot’s most common intoxicating chemical. Barker has said that he uses CBD to manage the physical challenges of playing drums during long shows on the road.
Despite his considerable starpower as both a drummer and a member of the Kardashian family, Barker is still fighting an uphill battle as he enters California’s tumultuous legal weed market. He is joining a crowded field of fellow rock stars selling legal pot in California, including Carlos Santana’s Mirayo pot brand and Willie Nelson’s Willie’s Reserve brand, but even celebrity weed brands are struggling to stay alive. Jerry Garcia’s family launched their own brand, Garcia Hand Picked, although the brand left the state last year as hundreds of pot brands in California went out of business.
Only time will tell if these new “Mini Barkies” joints will make the Blink-182 drummer a success story where other rock stars have fallen.