Who?
Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD) — Chair, Freedom Caucus
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Ask a Pol asks:
Do you think the train’s already left the station on hemp?
Key Harris:
“Federal law supersedes state laws on scheduled substances,” Freedom Caucus Chair Andy Harris exclusively tells Ask a Pol. “We are going to limit an otherwise unregulated industry that sells intoxicants to children.”
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Caught our ear:
“Those are desperate mistruths from an industry that stands to lose billions of dollars by selling intoxicants to children,” Harris tells us.
Below find a rough transcript of Ask a Pol’s exclusive interview with Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD), slightly edited for clarity.
TRANSCRIPT: Rep. Andy Harris (11-18-2025)
SCENE: Freedom Caucus Chair Andy Harris is taking an underground tunnel to the US Capitol when Ask a Pol founder Matt Laslo sees him and proceeds to walk him to a bank of elevators underneath the floor of the US House of Representatives.
Andy Harris: “Say ‘no’ to blow!”
Laslo laughs.
Matt Laslo: “You all just said no to hemp.”
AH: “You’re darn right.”
ML: “I just talked to a Co-chair of the Cannabis Caucus over here…”
AH: “Yeah?”
ML: “…who said they’re trying to get a letter together to try to combat — or to give more leeway — for states in this. Do you think the train’s already left the station?”
AH: “Federal law — uh, what’s the legal term? — supersedes state laws on scheduled substances.”
ML: “So you’re not worried?”
AH: “No.”
ML: “Like you guys already won the big battle or even the war?”
AH: “Yeah. We are going to limit an otherwise unregulated industry that sells intoxicants to children.”
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ML: “What do you make of the fear that this is going to kill the US hemp industry altogether?”
Harris’ elevator arrives. As he starts to enter, he turns and holds it open to finish his answer.
AH: “Those are desperate mistruths from an industry that stands to lose billions of dollars by selling intoxicants to children.”
ML: “Yeah? Thank you, sir.”
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