The marijuana industry’s political action committee is criticizing former president Joe Biden for his cannabis policy and the country of Canada. New ads promote sometimes false claims about the previous administration, while making the argument that Donald Trump will deliver reform.
The American Rights and Reform PAC–which launched in 2023 under a different name, Legalize America, and lists an executive at the major marijuana company Curaleaf as its treasurer—has two ads on its site that appear designed to appeal directly to Trump.
These ads are meant to achieve that goal by criticizing Trump’s predecessor, as well as highlighting that American cannabis companies lose out to Canada because of the prohibitionist laws in the U.S.
But with respect to the Biden-centered ad, the PAC’s attempt to draw a sharp contrast between the two administrations included inaccurate characterizations of Biden’s record—at one point stating that Biden was personally involved in criminalizing marijuana while completely ignoring his direct role in initiating a federal marijuana rescheduling review.
In the advertisement, it is stated that, “Millions American patients depend upon medical cannabis. But Joe Biden and Democrats classified this medication as dangerous heroin-like narcotics, denying them access to their relief.”
The article continues: “President Trump wants to bring America back into good health.” He did it once before, giving patients the right to try life-saving treatments. Now he could do it by rescheduling marijuana. “Ask President Trump to put the patients’ needs first and end Biden’s war against medical cannabis.”
Biden has been widely criticised by advocates for his support of punitive drug laws while he was in the Senate, and also not doing enough to free people who were still in prison due to federal marijuana-related convictions when he became president.
Biden was elected to the Senate in 1970. But, it was during the Republican administration of Richard Nixon when marijuana was added to Schedule I of Controlled Substances Act. It was before medical cannabis had been legalized in any state, even though the advertisement implied that marijuana users were being criminalized despite legal programs.
The ad, titled Biden’s War, also fails to mention the mass pardons that the former president gave for thousands of individuals who had committed federal marijuana crimes.
Biden has also expressed support for medical cannabis. Neither Biden nor Trump, however, have made any significant moves to subvert state marijuana laws. Trump surprised many during his campaign in 2024 by voicing support for rescheduling, industry banking, and a Florida ballot initiative to legalize marijuana that failed.
Canada is another Trump-related obsession. The PAC has released a new ad titled, “Your Fight.”
It says that “Canada attacks American cannabis companies and Democrats don’t help.” Washington, however, treats medical cannabis the same way it does heroin. The result is that American firms are prohibited from conducting research, and they can’t trade in the stock exchange. Meanwhile, Canadian companies profit.
It’s no secret that marijuana is classified as a Schedule I substance under the CSA, which has hindered the research for years. And it’s also true that cannabis businesses operating in states where the drug is legal are not allowed to access the stock market or other financial services. The opening to the advertisement appears again deliberately misleading.
Canada legalized nationwide marijuana in 2018. It remains illegal in the U.S. But, although this policy gap gives Canadian marijuana companies an edge, it’s difficult to see how it amounts to a Canadian attack on U.S. firms. The political realities are also at odds with blaming Democrats alone, as they have been the ones who led legalization in recent years, both federally and on the state level.
This is an America-first fight,” concludes the advertisement. “President Trump showed courage by signing Right to Try to heal American patients. Let’s do it again. Reclassify cannabis and place American first.”
Both ads feature statements regarding Trump’s support of Right to Try, legislation that he signed in his first term. This allowed terminal patients to have access to drugs not approved by FDA but that had passed a Phase I trial.
Ads seem designed to directly appeal to Trump. Trump has always been motivated to outshine his political adversaries and to present himself as an advocate for American enterprise.
Curaleaf’s vice president for government affairs Matt Harrell, who is listed as the treasurer of American Rights and Reform PAC has previously tried to win Trump’s favour in a conventional way, donating $250 000 to his inaugural fund through a cannabis industry trade association.
Federal Election Commission files show that American Rights and Reform PAC, which was previously known as Legalize America received $250,000 last December from Cresco Labs.
MEDCAN24 contacted Curaleaf, Cresco, and PAC officials for comments on the advertisements and financial contributions. Representatives were not available.
Meanwhile, another top marijuana executive—Trulieve CEO Kim Rivers—has also been making inroads within Trump circles.
Not only did she meet with the then-candidate last year prior to his endorsement of a Florida cannabis legalization ballot initiative that Rivers’s company largely funded, but she also attended two pre-inauguration events: a dinner celebrating Vice President J.D. Vance as well as a candlelight meal.
Charles Bachtell, the CEO of Cresco, attended the Washington D.C. inauguration in January.
So far, at least publicly, Trump has been silent on marijuana policy issues since taking office—and for now it is unclear whether the big dollar donations and ads will translate into administrative attention to cannabis industry stakeholders’ policy goals.
The longtime reformer of the drug policies did confirm that at a recent White House event, he met a White House employee and was then invited to make a presentation on why Trump would support legalizing marijuana federally.
But even after securing the release of an American who was incarcerated in Russia over marijuana possession—and inviting him to the Capitol for an address to a joint session of Congress this month—Trump declined to acknowledge the underlying cannabis charges.
It comes amid a background of numerous top-level nominations to the cabinet and Senate confirmations by administration officials, who had mixed records when it came to drug policy reform. Stakeholders and advocates have closely followed this situation in order for them and Trump’s supporters and allies alike determine if he will make marijuana policy changes.
For example, Trump recently nominated a vociferously anti-cannabis official to serve as the lead attorney at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), drawing praise from prohibitionists.
The HHS, under Biden’s administration, has recommended that cannabis be rescheduled following a review of scientific evidence. However, the process has been delayed. This has raised questions regarding the influence new appointees could have.
HHS’s General Counsel is responsible, amongst other things, for giving legal advice, understanding regulatory policies, and supervising litigation within the agency. Stuart could therefore be key to any future agency interpretations regarding the Controlled Substances Act when it comes marijuana’s status.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was vocal in his previous support of marijuana legalization, as opposed to Mike Stuart, HHS’s nominee for general counsel, who has just been confirmed by the Senate.
Despite that stated support, however, following his confirmation Kennedy said last month that he is “worried about” the normalization of high-potency marijuana and that he feels its use can have “really catastrophic impacts” on people, but that state-level legalization can facilitate research into its harms and benefits.
The comments came on the same day that Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-NE) said he received a commitment from Kennedy to “follow the science on the harms of marijuana.”
Ricketts had already disclosed earlier this month that he spoke to Kennedy about the the “importance” of “preventing the expansion of marijuana.” He says that “RFK promised me he’d follow science in regards to the harmful effects of marijuana.”
Despite Kennedy’s history of advocating for cannabis legalization, he said last month that he will defer to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) on marijuana rescheduling in his new role.
This could make rescheduling more difficult. Last month, Trump officially named his pick to lead DEA—selecting a decades-long agency veteran and top Virginia official who’s voiced concerns about the dangers of marijuana and linked its use to higher suicide risk among youth.
Separately, anti-marijuana Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD) told MEDCAN24 recently that it’s “definitely” time to have a talk with Kennedy to convince him that “marijuana is harmful” and that the way to make Americans healthy is by “limiting” its use.
Prior to Kennedy’s written responses to members of the Senate Finance Committee that gave him initial approval, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) pressed him to reiterate his position on marijuana legalization amid the ongoing effort to federally reschedule cannabis.
A political action committee founded by former Vice President Mike Pence had attempted to undermine the confirmation Kennedy as HHS secretary—in part by drawing attention to his support for marijuana and psychedelics reform, as well as his personal history with substance misuse.
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