Ask a Pol drugs

By: Matt Laslo
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  • Asking your lawmakers your drug (medicine and criminal justice, etc.) questions at your US Capitol.

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    Matt Laslo
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Episodes
  • "Such a boomer thing to say," Rep. Omar mocks Trump's DEA pick

    "Such a boomer thing to say," Rep. Omar mocks Trump's DEA pick
    Jan 25 2025
    Who?Ilhan Omar (D-MN) — Co-chair, Congressional Cannabis CaucusLISTEN: Laslo & OmarAsk a Pol asks:Do you know anything about Trump’s nominee to lead the Drug Enforcement Administration, Derek Maltz?Key Omar:“No? Maltz who?” Rep. Ilhan Omar exclusively tells Ask a Pol. He says it's a ‘gateway drug…’ “What is he, a 100 years old?” Omar says. “All of that has been debunked for a really long time, but I think it's such a boomer thing to say…” ICYMI — Omar exclusive first sold to Marijuana MomentCaught our ear:“We are not advocating for legalizing it so that kids can utilize it,” Omar tells us. “So I have no idea why he's talking about kids.” Below find a rough transcript of Ask a Pol’s exclusive interview with Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), slightly edited for clarity.TRANSCRIPT: Rep. Ilhan OmarSCENE: There’s a vote underway on the House floor when Ask a Pol’s Matt Laslo runs into Rep. Omar’s walking back to her office…Matt Laslo: “You're going the wrong way.”Ilhan Omar: “I know. They called votes and I started to see members, and I was like ‘What are we doing, what is going on?’ Came out of meeting, so I didn’t know.”ML: “Do you know anything about this [Derek] Maltz guy who was tapped to lead the DEA?”ICYMI — 100 of 100 US senators on SAFER Banking ActIO: “No. Maltz who?”ML: “That’s what I'm saying.”Omar laughs. ML: “But — and this is my wire service, one of our clients is Marijuana Moment — and so I just told him to send me all his opinions, he says, it's a ‘gateway drug,’ that cannabis is. ‘That all the irresponsible politicians trying to get votes by legalizing marijuana. Maybe it's time to understand the negative impacts from smoking this crap.’”IO: “What is he, a 100 years old?”ML: “Right?”IO: “All of that has been debunked for a really long time, but I think it's such a boomer thing to say, I don't know how old this man is, but — right?”ML: “And then he says, ‘it's actually causing psychosis, schizophrenia, depression, anxiety. So it's really a gateway drug for these kids that don't know any better.’” IO: “Well, first of all, there are — we are not advocating for legalizing it so that kids can utilize it. So I have no idea why he's talking about kids.”ML: “Right?”IO: “Yeah.”ML: “Do you worry about even, like, the mental health claims he's making?”IO: “No, it's actually helpful.”ML: “It's helpful?”Consider supporting our independent journalism from your US Capitol! Consider chipping in to support our independent journalism —Venmo, PayPal, Cash App — or just buy us a beer!IO: “Yes.”ML: “Cause you can so easily debunk it?”IO: “Yess — but, I mean, no. It's helpful for a lot of people who are struggling with all types of stuff.” ML: “Yeah?”IO: “Yeah.”ML: “Amen. Preciate ya.”Andrey Beregovskiy contributed to this report. Content posted at AskaPolDrugs.com is copyrighted. Use our original content to move the story forward. And, please, link to us. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.askapoldrugs.com/subscribe
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    3 mins
  • New Cannabis Caucus Co-chair Omar: "The hope is to be a little bit louder than what we’ve been”

    New Cannabis Caucus Co-chair Omar: "The hope is to be a little bit louder than what we’ve been”
    Jan 19 2025
    SCROLL DOWN TO LISTEN FOR FREE! Who?Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) — Co-chair, Congressional Cannabis CaucusLISTEN: Laslo & OmarAsk a Pol asks:We heard that you're a new co-chair of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus. Have you started any talks on the marijuana policy here?Key Omar:“It's still preliminary. None of us have met yet,” Rep. Ilhan Omar exclusively tells Ask a Pol. “We're still very in the early stages of organizing ourselves here in Congress.” ICYMI — Interview informed Marijuana Moment’s articleCaught our ear:“The hope is to be a little bit louder than what we’ve been,” Omar tells us. Below find a rough transcript of Ask a Pol’s exclusive interview with Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), slightly edited for clarity.TRANSCRIPT: Rep. Ilhan OmarSCENE: As Rep. Ilhan Omar’s making her way to the House floor to vote, Ask a Pol’s Matt Laslo runs into her in the tunnel connecting House Office Buildings to the US Capitol. Matt Laslo: “I hear that you're a new co-chair of the cannabis caucus.”Ilhan Omar: “I am. Yes, sir.”ICYMI — 100 of 100 US senators on SAFER Banking ActML: “What do you see — like, it just doesn't seem it's gonna be a big priority for the new incoming administration. Or are you guys having talks?” IO: “With the new — no, no. We had…”ML: “Or bipartisan talks here?” IO: “No, no, it's still preliminary. None of us have met yet. Actually, had my first conversation with my co-chair yesterday.”ML: “Oh yeah? It went well?” They enter an elevator in the basement of the Capitol. IO: “We're still very in the early stages of organizing ourselves here in Congress, so…”ML: “Cause even your party hasn't moved on of it — [Dem Senate Leader Chuck] Schumer never brought SAFER [Banking Act] to the floor.” IO: “Yeah.” ML: “So do you think you guys are gonna have an influence in your own party, as well as trying to reach across the aisle?”They exit the elevator just off the House floor. IO: “Yeah. The hope is to be a little bit louder than what we’ve been.” ML: “Yeah?”IO: “Yeah.”ML: “Are you figuring out, like, how to affix it to the agenda?”IO: “Yeah. I mean, I come from a state that it's legalized, that's done it really well and I think we bring a uniquer voice to the issue.”ML: “And now, as to your colleagues, three-quarters of the nation it’s legal.” IO: “Yeah.”ML: “Like, do they get that in all these conservatives there?”IO: “Well, that's our hope. At least, to speak to their libertarian senses.”ML: “Yeah? It almost seems that psychedelics are now more en vogue and cannabis is now being passed over?” IO: “Cause it should be a given at this point. And that's the point we're gonna try to make.”ML: “Preciate ya.”Andrey Beregovskiy contributed to this report.Content posted at AskaPolDrugs.com is copyrighted. Use our original content to move the story forward. And, please, link to us. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.askapoldrugs.com/subscribe
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    3 mins
  • Senator-elect Elissa Slotkin "a fan" of SAFER Banking Act

    Senator-elect Elissa Slotkin "a fan" of SAFER Banking Act
    Jan 9 2025

    SCROLL DOWN TO LISTEN FOR FREE!

    Who?

    Senator-elect Elissa Slotkin (D-MI)

    LISTEN: Laslo & Slotkin

    Ask a Pol asks:

    Do you know where you are on SAFER Banking Act?

    Key Slotkin:

    “I'm a fan. I believe in it,” Senator-elect Elissa Slotkin exclusively tells Ask a Pol. “I couldn't explain to you why people don't support it on either side of the aisle.”

    Caught our ear:

    “I want that industry — that's now worth billions of dollars and legal in the United States — to be able to bank,” Slotkin tells us.

    Below find a rough transcript of Ask a Pol’s exclusive interview with Senator-elect Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), slightly edited for clarity.

    ICYMI — 100 of 100 US senators on SAFER Banking Act

    TRANSCRIPT: Senator-elect Elissa Slotkin

    SCENE: Ask a Pol’s Matt Laslo runs into Senator-elect Elissa Slotkin as she’s casting one of her last votes in the US House of Representatives in December 2024.

    Matt Laslo: “Do you know where you are on SAFER Banking Act?”

    Elissa Slotkin: “Pardon?”

    ML: “SAFER Banking Act — it’s the cannabis…”

    ES: “SAFE — I don't think it's SAFER, is it?”

    EXCLUSIVE: SUBSCRIBER-ONLY CONTENT*

    Sneak peak: See our new list of all 100 US senators in the 119th Congress on the SAFER Banking Act

    *Student? Lost your gig? Hard times? Been there. Got you. No questions asked. Just ping us.

    ML: “It used to be SAFE…”

    ES: “Oh really. Oh, okay.”

    ML: “…and then they added the ‘R'.’”

    ES: “I am a co-sponsor.”

    ML: “Yeah.”

    ES: “I'm a fan. I believe in it, and I don't understand why we — I couldn't explain to you why people don't support it…”

    Subscriber only sneak peak:

    New list of all 100 senators on SAFER in 119th Congress

    ML: “Yeah?”

    ES: “…like, on either side of the aisle.”

    ML: “Yeah? What do you make of the talking points. Like, being there in Michigan, like, the reality looks a lot different than the talking points on that issue.”

    ES: “On that issue?”

    ML: “Yeah.”

    ES: “Oh, I don't know what the talking points are. I can just tell you that I want that industry — that's now worth billions of dollars and legal in the United States — to be able to bank.”

    ML: “Yeah?”

    ES: “That's it. That's it.”

    Laslo laughs.

    ES: “Period.”

    Slotkin heads to the House floor to vote.

    ML: “I'll be watchin. Thank you ma’am.”

    LJ Dawson contributed to this reporting.

    Content posted at AskaPol.com is copyrighted. Use our original content to move the story forward. And, please, link to us.



    This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.askapoldrugs.com/subscribe
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    2 mins

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