Marijuana legalization PAC aims to sway Trump with ads targeting Biden, Canada

A marijuana legalization political action committee is trying to get President Trump on board with seven-figure ads that go after former President Biden as well as tariff target Canada.

The American Rights and Reform PAC, formerly known as Legalize America, Inc. according to Federal Election Commission records, is behind the two 30-second spots.

The first, titled “Biden’s War,” criticizes Mr. Trump’s Democrat predecessor over cannabis’ legal designation as a Schedule 1 drug despite its medical uses. It also cites positively the “Make America Healthy Again” slogan used by the Trump administration, as well as the “right to try” law that Mr. Trump signed in 2018 regarding experimental medical treatments.

The second ad, titled “Your Fight,” claims that Canada is attacking U.S. companies. Because marijuana is legal in Canada, cannabis companies there are able to do research and be registered on stock exchanges, giving them a leg up on American cannabis companies.

“This is an ’America First’ fight … reschedule cannabis and put America first,” the ad says.

To reach Mr. Trump, American Rights and Reform PAC is targeting its ads on cable, streaming services and devices in two specific markets: Washington, D.C. and West Palm Beach, Florida. 

The committee will spend more than $1 million to air the two 30-second spots in the two markets over the next month, a source familiar with its plans told CNN.

The committee’s treasurer, Matt Harrell, is also the vice president of government affairs for the New York-based cannabis company Curaleaf, according to cannabis industry news site Marijuana Moment.

Curaleaf previously donated $250,000 to Mr. Trump’s inaugural committee through the U.S. Cannabis Council trade organization. Another cannabis company, Cresco Labs, gave $250,000 to American Rights and Reform PAC in December, per FEC records.