Who?
Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) — Co-chair, Congressional Cannabis Caucus
LISTEN: Laslo & Omar
Ask a Pol asks:
What are you looking for as Minnesota rolls out its first non-tribal recreational cannabis program today (Tuesday; Sept 16th)?
Key Omar:
“Yeah. There's still heavy contention between underserved communities that they're still working through. So I'm hoping that the rollout does include all the voices that are supposed to be benefited from the community initiatives,” Rep. Ilhan Omar exclusively tells Ask a Pol.
With Wisconsin now the only Midwest state without legal recreational cannabis, do you see Minnesota’s marijuana evolution is a positive step forward for the region?
“Yeah it is, and my hope is that when our bill was crafted and debated, we took in all of the lessons learned from Colorado and California,” Omar says. “So I do hope that there will be an excellent rollout that could serve as a model of how to do it right.”
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Heads up:
This interview was first sold to Marijuana Moment through Ask a Pol founder Matt Laslo’s wire service, The LCB
Caught our ear:
Now with President Donald Trump recently kind of, like, supporting rescheduling marijuana, has there been more chatter on cannabis on Capitol Hill?
“There is. It seems like he has made — at least hinted at — de-scheduling,” Omar tells us. “Which is kind of a positive step.”
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 Omar (9-16-2025)
SCENE: Rep. Ihan Omar and an aide are taking an underground tunnel to the US Capitol when Ask a Pol’s Matt Laslo sidles in for a quick cannabis conversation…
Matt Laslo: “How are you, ma'am?”
Ilhan Omar: “Good. How are you?”
ML: “Livin’ the dream.”
IO: “Yeah? How's that kid you didn't know about?”
Laslo laughs.
ML: “Forgot about him already?”
Omar laughs.*
*Inside Omar’s inside joke:
A few years back, when Ask a Pol founder Matt Laslo was jokingly dubbed VICE News’ Squad correspondent, after a congressional recess Omar greeted Laslo with a big…
“Congratulations on being a father!”
“Really? News to me. Makes sense tho. Know who the mother is?”
Omar melted with embarrassment, but she continues to joke about her mix up.
ML: “What are you, um, looking for as Minnesota rolls out its first cannabis programs today to non-tribes?”
IO: “Yeah. I mean, there's still, like, heavy contention between underserved communities that they're still working through. So I'm hoping that the rollout does include all the voices that are supposed to be benefited from the community initiatives.”
ML: “Do you see it as a positive, good step forward for the Midwest, just broadly? I think it's just Wisconsin doesn't have legalization now.”
IO: “Yeah it is. I mean, and my hope is that, you know, when our bill was crafted and debated, we took in all of the lessons learned from Colorado and California.”
ML: “Uh-huh?”
IO: “So I do hope that there will be an excellent rollout that could serve as a model of how to do it right.”
ML: “Yeah? And now with Trump kind of like supporting rescheduling, has there been more chatter on cannabis or not really?”
Laslo laughs.
IO: “There is. It seems like he has made — at least hinted at — de-scheduling, which is kind of a positive step.”
ML: “Yeah? Well, because otherwise, like, would you be worried about DEA on the ground in Minnesota? It seems like they're selective with what they enforce.”
IO: “Um, I don't think that there is a serious worry in that regard.”
ML: “Yeah?”
IO: “We've had medicinal use for a really long time, and I think our full legalization should work out pretty well.”
ML: “But now when it comes to, like, no banking access…”
IO: “That's always been the challenge, right?”
ML: “Yeah.”
IO: “I've gotten the opportunity to travel across the country and, like, visit with entrepreneurs, and that's the one thing that they complain about.”
ML: “Yeah?”
IO: “It's a space that we've been trying to legislate.”
Omar an aide arrive at a Members Only elevator overflowing with impatient lawmakers, hence she drops to more of a whisper.
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ML: “Yeah, right?”
IO: “Um, so we'll continue to push for that.”
ML: “Yeah? I’ll keep watchin. Preciate ya ma’am.”
Andrey Beregovskiy contributed to this report.
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