CBS rejects medical marijuana Super Bowl ad

CBS will not permit a medical marijuana company to run an ad during the upcoming 2019 Super Bowl.

Super Bowl LIII, which will feature the Los Angeles Rams against the New England Patriots, is set for Feb. 3 in Atlanta.

What are the details?

According to USA Today Sports, Acreage Holdings said it created a 60-second ad spot and pitched it to CBS for consideration to run during the Super Bowl.

The company — which grows, processes, and dispenses marijuana for medical use — said that the ad featured three individuals who used medical marijuana and detailed how the drug positively impacted their lives.

This isn't the first time Acreage Holdings has made headlines: In 2018, the company added former House Speaker John Boehner (R) to its board.

Acreage Holdings told USA Today that CBS rejected the ad, however, saying that the network does not currently accept such ads.

A CBS spokesperson told the outlet, "CBS will not be accepting any ads for medical marijuana at this time."

Acreage Holdings President George Allen said that he's not shocked that CBS denied the company's ad proposal.

"We're not particularly surprised that CBS and/or the NFL rejected the content," Allen said. "And that is actually less a statement about them and more we think a statement about where we stand right now in this country."

Allen said that it was a feat to maintain a balance in respecting the "complex fabric of state and federal policy, much of which conflicts."

What is the ad about?

Harris Damashek, the company's chief marketing officer, said that the proposed advertisement was really more of a "public service announcement" rather than an advertisement.

"We're not marketing any of our products or retail in this spot," Damashek explained.

The outlet reported that the 60-second ad featured a young boy from Colorado who used medical marijuana to stop his daily debilitating seizures. The ad also featured a New York state man who opted to use medical marijuana instead of opioids after a back surgery 15 years ago wreaked havoc on his life. Also, the ad featured a California military veteran who uses the drug to combat pain after losing a portion of his leg during service.

The ad calls for U.S. citizens to phone their state representatives and senators to call for uniform change in the state and federal legality of medical marijuana.

The ad has yet to be posted online, but Damashek said once it is refined, it will be out there for public consumption.

"[W]e anticipate and look forward to getting the message out far and wide," Damashek added.