Mellow mood at first Seattle Hempfest since pot legalization - Marijuana News - International Cannagraphic Magazine Forums

Tudo · 08-17-2013, 07:05 PM

Mellow mood at first Seattle Hempfest since pot legalization
By Jonathan Kaminsky
SEATTLE | Sat Aug 17, 2013 11:01am EDT
SEATTLE Aug 17 (Reuters) - Pot smoke wafted over thousands of revelers gathered at Seattle's downtown waterfront to kick off the first Hempfest rally since Washington state and Colorado passed initiatives to legalize marijuana for recreational use last November.
The mellow mood among the revelers swaying to reggae music on Friday was in stark contrast to the harsh vibe at last year's event, which pitted pot activist against pot activist in a fight over the state ballot measure that some saw as a threat to medical marijuana producers and users.
"Last year, every five steps it was like, 'Vote yes!' Vote no!' Vote yes!'" said Katelyn Cherry, 18, who ate shaved ice from a cone while sitting on a patch of grass next to a glass bong. "There's none of that going on anymore, so that's nice."
This year's Hempfest - expected to draw as many as 85,000 visitors in each of its three days - is meant to celebrate the new law and help heal the rifts of last year's campaign. It also aims to oppose marijuana's continued federal status as a dangerous narcotic with no legitimate medical applications, said Vivian McPeak, the event's longtime executive director.
"I would hope that people realize this is not the time to stop," he said. "When you're winning is the time to ramp it up and take it to the next level."

DORITO BAGS WITH POT LAWS
In the mid-1990s, McPeak recalled, police at Hempfest conducted undercover buy-and-bust operations, periodically slapping handcuffs on vendors of pot brownies and removing them from the premises.
But this year, instead of writing tickets for public pot smoking - which remains forbidden in the state - police were handing out about 1,000 bags of Doritos tortilla chips bearing information on the state's pot laws.
"It feels great that instead of issuing citations for public smoking, the police are issuing Dorito bags," McPeak said. "That seems like a big deal."
Many medical users and producers of marijuana feared that passage of the last year's ballot initiative, I-502, would lead to a crackdown on drivers who used pot and pressure lawmakers to create stricter rules and higher taxes for a medical industry that currently has little state oversight.
Among those opposing last year's legalization campaign was Don Skakie, who on Friday stood at a booth gathering signatures for a legislative initiative that would among other things exempt medical pot users from marijuana blood limits for driving that became effective under I-502.
Despite the bruised feelings from last year's initiative battle, Skakie said, most in the pot community have moved on.
"If people are still at each other it's over personal issues, not political issues," he said. "People have realized that we fought that fight." (Editing by Barbara Goldberg and Vicki Allen)
https://www.reuters.com/article/2013/...areNews&rpc=43

DIDM · 08-17-2013, 07:22 PM

could you imagine a cop coming up to you smoking and handing you a bag of Doritos?

I'd lose it laughing

08-18-2013, 05:56 PM

Great news! NPR reported every hour yesterday: "A mellow scene at the Seattle Hempfest this year..."
The future is now! At least a 1000 miles west of me...

08-17-2013, 07:05 PM	#1
Tudo Troublemaker Join Date: Jan 2013 Posts: 3,744	Mellow mood at first Seattle Hempfest since pot legalization Mellow mood at first Seattle Hempfest since pot legalization By Jonathan Kaminsky SEATTLE \| Sat Aug 17, 2013 11:01am EDT SEATTLE Aug 17 (Reuters) - Pot smoke wafted over thousands of revelers gathered at Seattle's downtown waterfront to kick off the first Hempfest rally since Washington state and Colorado passed initiatives to legalize marijuana for recreational use last November. The mellow mood among the revelers swaying to reggae music on Friday was in stark contrast to the harsh vibe at last year's event, which pitted pot activist against pot activist in a fight over the state ballot measure that some saw as a threat to medical marijuana producers and users. "Last year, every five steps it was like, 'Vote yes!' Vote no!' Vote yes!'" said Katelyn Cherry, 18, who ate shaved ice from a cone while sitting on a patch of grass next to a glass bong. "There's none of that going on anymore, so that's nice." This year's Hempfest - expected to draw as many as 85,000 visitors in each of its three days - is meant to celebrate the new law and help heal the rifts of last year's campaign. It also aims to oppose marijuana's continued federal status as a dangerous narcotic with no legitimate medical applications, said Vivian McPeak, the event's longtime executive director. "I would hope that people realize this is not the time to stop," he said. "When you're winning is the time to ramp it up and take it to the next level." DORITO BAGS WITH POT LAWS In the mid-1990s, McPeak recalled, police at Hempfest conducted undercover buy-and-bust operations, periodically slapping handcuffs on vendors of pot brownies and removing them from the premises. But this year, instead of writing tickets for public pot smoking - which remains forbidden in the state - police were handing out about 1,000 bags of Doritos tortilla chips bearing information on the state's pot laws. "It feels great that instead of issuing citations for public smoking, the police are issuing Dorito bags," McPeak said. "That seems like a big deal." Many medical users and producers of marijuana feared that passage of the last year's ballot initiative, I-502, would lead to a crackdown on drivers who used pot and pressure lawmakers to create stricter rules and higher taxes for a medical industry that currently has little state oversight. Among those opposing last year's legalization campaign was Don Skakie, who on Friday stood at a booth gathering signatures for a legislative initiative that would among other things exempt medical pot users from marijuana blood limits for driving that became effective under I-502. Despite the bruised feelings from last year's initiative battle, Skakie said, most in the pot community have moved on. "If people are still at each other it's over personal issues, not political issues," he said. "People have realized that we fought that fight." (Editing by Barbara Goldberg and Vicki Allen) https://www.reuters.com/article/2013/...areNews&rpc=43 __________________ The world is my country, all mankind are my brethren, and to do good things is my religion. Thomas Paine ( Godfather of the American Revolution)
	Quote 1 members found this post helpful.

08-17-2013, 07:22 PM	#2
DIDM Malaika Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Potland Posts: 2,431	could you imagine a cop coming up to you smoking and handing you a bag of Doritos? I'd lose it laughing __________________ Always do your best. What you plant now, you will harvest later. Og Mandino Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it’s worth.
	Quote 2 members found this post helpful.

08-18-2013, 05:56 PM	#3
OKD Guest Posts: n/a	Great news! NPR reported every hour yesterday: "A mellow scene at the Seattle Hempfest this year..." The future is now! At least a 1000 miles west of me...
	Quote