Rand Paul is raising money with the weed industry

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Reuters/Jonathan Ernst

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Kentucky)

US Sen. Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) is reportedly raising presidential campaign cash in an unusual place on Tuesday: the Cannabis Business Summit.

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According to an invitation obtained by Yahoo News earlier in the month, Paul is holding a "private briefing" with his campaign donors at the marijuana industry event in Denver, Colorado. Other outlets, including The New York Times, also confirmed the event.

Colorado famously legalized the recreational use of marijuana last year.

A National Cannabis Industry Association email reportedly declared, "Major Republican Presidential Contender at Cannabis Business Summit!"

"Never before has a major-party presidential candidate held a reception at a cannabis industry event, and NCIA is proud to host Senator Paul," the message said.

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The group's deputy director, Taylor West, further told The Denver Post that Paul's fundraiser will be truly historic.

"Its the first event that we know of that a presidential candidate will be involved in the industry," West said. "He's kind of in a class of his own."

Paul, who has been aligned with several libertarian causes, has pushed several legislative drug reforms in the Senate, including reducing the sentencing disparity between crack and powdered cocaine, and making sure that food products containing drugs are "weighed fairly" by authorities.

He's also been spotted wearing a hemp blazer.

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