Thousands of pot fans rally at Seattle festival

Matt Galanti, 17, of Bothell, Wash., smokes marijuana from a glass bong at the opening day of the pro-marijuana rally Seattle Hempfest, Aug. 17, 2012, as friends Zach Casselman, 18, of Bothell, and Clay Graeber, 20, of Bothell, look on. / AP Photo/Gene Johnson

(AP) SEATTLE - Tens of thousands of people descended on a waterfront park in Seattle Friday for the opening of what's billed as the nation's largest marijuana rally — an event that has a pressing political edge this year as Washington state's voters consider whether to legalize the fun use of pot for adults.

Colorado, Oregon and Washington already have medical marijuana laws. And all three also have legalization measures on the November ballot.

Washington's would allow sales of up to an ounce of dried marijuana at state-licensed stores and could bring the state nearly $2 billion in tax revenue over the next five years — if the federal government doesn't try to block the law from taking effect. Pot remains illegal under federal law.

Washington's measure, Initiative 502, also would prevent nearly 10,000 marijuana possession arrests every year in the state, proponents say.

"It looks like we're finally reaching a critical mass to end this critical mess," Hempfest director Vivian McPeak said as the festival began. "If I-502 passes, it'll be a historic moment."

Organizers expected at least 150,000 people at the three-day event. Thousands milled along the 1.5-mile long park under a blazing sun Friday afternoon, stopping at booths advertising colorful glass pipes, hemp clothing and medical marijuana dispensaries. Young women shouted at passersby to encourage them to obtain medical marijuana authorizations — "Are you legal yet?" — while other festival goers rested on driftwood logs, lighting joints and pipes.

Vendors hawked $2 bottles of water, but not just for hydration: "Ice water here! Get some ice water for your bong!"

Despite the pot-tolerant crowd, there was no consensus as to whether I-502 is the right thing for Washington's marijuana smokers.

The measure has garnered opposition from the medical cannabis community, and some say its driving-under-the-influence provisions are so strict that it could prevent them from driving at all.

Others say the measure doesn't go far enough because it wouldn't allow people to grow their own pot for recreational use, although medical patients still could; it doesn't contemplate the industrial growing of hemp; and it would not allow recreational use for those between 18 and 21.

Because of the split, Hempfest — now in its 21st year of advocating legalization — is taking no official position on the measure, something McPeak called "very painful and very awkward."

Alison Holcomb, campaign manager for the measure's sponsor, New Approach Washington, said she was disappointed, too.

"We've got a legalization measure on the ballot right now," Holcomb said. "Seattle Hempfest, which has been carrying the legalization banner for 21 years, ought to be celebrating."

Both sides of the debate were aired at the festival, as supporters and opponents set up tents and vied for the attention of potential voters.

At the No on I-502 tent, activist Arthur West said he's been attending Hempfest since the late 1990s and never imagined that he'd be here to oppose a legalization measure. But then, he and fellow activist Poppy Sidhu said they don't consider I-502 legalization at all.

"We're all for legalization, but legalization, for me, is being able to grow as much as I want and being able to walk down the street to Starbucks smoking my joint," Sidhu said.

Conner Michaels, 24, of Bellingham, approached with a thick, burning blunt in his hand and asked for a No on I-502 button.

"This is sick," he said. "I'm not going to be able to drive if this passes."

Medical marijuana dispensaries are largely also opposed, in part, because of the licensing requirements in the measure, said Brian Ray, the goateed, dreadlocked owner of One Love Collective, a dispensary in South Seattle. Many dispensaries are doing well under the current system, and there's no reason to rush into a legalization scheme that might be flawed, he said.

"It appears like it's going to shut down the entrepreneurial spirit of these small businesses," Ray said.

Breast cancer survivor Cindy Denny, 52, of Auburn, and her husband, Kerry Denny, had a different view as they surveyed the largely younger crowd. She said that she is still taking oral chemotherapy, and the marijuana helps her feel better. But when she first tried to obtain an authorization as required by state law, her chemo doctor wouldn't give her one because it remains illegal under federal law.

She said she had to go to a different clinic to find a doctor who would write her an authorization, and that hurdle might be too much for some patients.

"It's not working the way it is right now," added Kerry Denny, a retired Teamster. "You can regulate it and tax it like everything else."

[FlyingTooLow]

We have been telling the rest of the world for decades: "We live in a free country."

We are truly showing a fine example.

Law enforcement needs to re-direct its focus on crimes... to those that are REAL crimes.

I spent 5 years in Federal Prison for a marijuana offense. While I was there, I watched armed bank robbers come and go in as little as 20 months.

After 3 years 'behind the wall,' I pointed this out to the parole board. Their response: "You must understand, yours was a very serious offense."
How do you respond to that mentality?

I laughed about the parole panel's comment for 2 more years (as I still sat in prison), then wrote:
Shoulda Robbed a Bank

No, it is not a treatise on disproportionate sentences, but a look at what the 'marijuana culture' is really about.
People pursuing happiness in their own way. Harming no one...nor their property.

That's my contribution to helping point out just how ludicrous our pot laws truly are.
I hope you check it out.

[phwtb100]

Just what we need- MORE Dope heads texting and driving!!

Just the idea of legalizing pot, PROVES this country is filled with nothing but empty headed IDIOTS!!

[Haggi57]

By your comment, I can tell you know nothing about marijuana.

[samyspade]

You are truly a moron.

[SeattleMark952]

I think that legalizing MJ will be a much greater social cost in the long run (providing another drug besides alcohol to pickle everyone's brains). Trying to make money from vises is pretty stupid public policy (looking at the horrendous social and health care costs of cigarettes, alcohol and gambling). When the states won the billions of dollars against the cig companies (many years ago) most put the money into their regular budgets (did not try to fight cigarette use) because they make so much from taxing cigs.

[kevin_hunt]

You are assuming that the social costs of cigarettes and alcohol are similar to the social costs of marijuana use. Where do you get this assumption? Did you make it up yourself, or have you researched this?

Canadian researchers have estimated the following social costs per user per year: Alcohol $411, Tobacco $500, Marijuana $2.15.

Do some homework.

Source: The costs of substance abuse in Canada 2002. Ottawa: Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse.

[dontforget911]

Legalizing marijuana is quite ridiculous because the states insist that smoking causes lung cancer so they fine the heck out of the cigarette industry and tax the heck out of the smokers. Now when they can use marijuana to generate extra income they say it's okay. It's time for the cigarette companies and smokers to sue the states. Btw if you look at the smoking statistics it does not conclusively state smoking causes cancer. There are other factors that needs to be considered. Doctors are known to reverse their recommendations on health issues. It won't be a surprise to me to hear doctors announce that smoking is not the cause of lung cancer that cancer is caused by a person's genetic or food/drink intake.

[kevin_hunt]

So how many people get lung cancer from eating marijuana cookies?

[X2670]

Jails & Law Enforcement are BIG business. If you legalize and regulate marijuana, you will be cutting into BIG BU$INE$$. America loves BOOZE and CIGGYS....TWO OF AMERICA'S BIGGEST KILLERS.

[Ulgnud]

Just what we need. In addition to the drunk impaired drivers we can also have drugged up impaired drivers.

[kevin_hunt]

"Comparing traffic deaths over time in states with and without medical marijuana law changes, the researchers found that fatal car wrecks dropped by 9% in states that legalized medical use"

Source: Medical Marijuana Laws, Traffic Fatalities, and Alcohol Consumption by D. Mark Anderson, Daniel I. Rees (November 2011)

[doubleecho-2009]

If you step back few steps and wonder "why is a natural growing plant" ILLEGAL? Maybe it can sink in a bit that current "laws" are MORE detrimental than beneficial!
Of COURSE, if sanity prevaled an some police budgets were "cut", HMMMM, DO YAH THINK that they might be against that?