Originally published @ Daily Kos http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/08/16/1322087/-Seattle-Hempfest-2014-Dawn-of-A-New-Era-Regarding-Legalization-of-Pot
Seattle's Hempfest event claims to be the largest pro cannabis
festival in the world. This year, event organizers are even more excited
than usual. For the first time, it is now actually legal to possess
marijuana in Washington State. After decades of political activity , the dream of Hempfest activists has finally come true.
Included in the 2014 festivities are "pot gardens
" modeled after the traditional German style beer gardens where
adults can imbibe and enjoy the effects of cannabis in regulated areas
away from children. In Washington State, an individual must be over 21
years of age to legally possess marijuana. Although alcohol is mostly
unavailable at Seattle's Hempfest, festival participants are safe to
indulge in the effects of THC and cannabis with no interference from law
enforcement agencies .
Contrary to popular belief, technically, it is still illegal in Seattle to smoke pot in public.
Most of the nation is ill-informed about marijuana policies in
Washington State. The Seattle City Council passed an ordinance which
includes a $20 fine. So, although it's legal to possess up to one ounce,
pot is still regulated like an intoxicating alcoholic beverage. You can't drink a beer while walking down a busy city street in Seattle without risking a fine from police
. It is also illegal to smoke marijuana in public bars, so the
Hempfest folks decided to provide a community service by allowing people
to smoke in their pot gardens.
In 2012 Washington voters approved state-wide Initiative 502, which
legalized the plant and gave the Washington State Liquor Control Board
the authorization to regulate the growing, distribution and sale of
cannabis. The only problem here is that the WSLCB has always been known
as a relatively puritanical state agency. Even after prohibition was
lifted, it was still illegal to sell liquor by the glass in the city of
Seattle. The result was that a preponderance of illegal speakeasys were
established all over town.
In modern times, rock promoters and club owners have often
complained about the tight regulation on alcohol which prohibits night
clubs, and makes it hard for the music industry
to hold all ages events. The point here is that the regulation of
marijuana by this same state agency has led to the same kind of stiff
restrictions on the growing and distribution of legal cannabis products.
It has been an uneasy marriage between the WSLCB and the marijuana
industry.
Because of restrictive liquor laws, music clubs and industry
representatives in Seattle played a major role role in the elections of
the last two mayors. Mayor Mike McGinn promised to allow clubs to stay
open until 4 AM but that campaign promise was never achieved. Current
mayor Ed Murray has also received a lot of support from this sector of
the community. It remains to be seen whether the city can loosen up some
of the liquor board's restrictions on live music and the selling of alcohol.
The usual complaint has been that Seattle could be the next Austin,
Texas with its healthy music and bar scene, but local city officials and
the WSLCB have made that dream impossible in the Emerald City. The teen
dance ordinance was a major thorn in the side of local music promoters,
inspiring the foundation of JAMPAC, a political action committee
sponsored by the music industry .
So, the fact that the Washington State Liquor Control board has been
given the task of regulating the pot industry seems like a disaster
waiting to happen. So far, major urban areas like Seattle have fallen
short in their attempts to meet the huge public demand for legal
marijuana. Since July 8 when the first retail pot stores were opened,
consumers have been forced to cope with long dry spells. The increasing
demand for legal pot has far out stripped the market's capability to
produce the quantity that would be required. Some cannabis activists
blame tight regulatory standards set by the state for their inability to
supply this large consumer market.
Out of a total of 334 licenses approved, only a couple of dozen
retail marijuana stores have actually opened in Washington. Despite this
lack of access to legal pot, the industry has already sold over $4.3
million worth of the product, exceeding the market in Colorado where
ganja is also legal. Some estimates project a profit of over $2 billion
in the first five years of production in Washington state. To limit the
industry to local producers, the state has created strict rules on how
much pot can be grown by any one supplier.
Seattle Hempfest 2014 promises to be the most attended festival in
its long history. Many folks who did not attend past events will be
there this year to enjoy their legal right to possess cannabis. Glass
pipe blowers, medicinal cannabis experts and marijuana advocates of all
kinds are gathering in Seattle Aug. 15 - 17 to celebrate a tradition
that has outlasted all previous city political administrations. It is
quite obvious that legal cannabis is here to stay in Washington State.
Longtime Hempfest organizer Vivian McPeak says he never imagined that
80,000 people would be attending these events when he and his friends
first came up with the idea. McPeak is not happy with the way most of
the corporate media has covered the issue of legal marijuana and the war
on drugs. He complains about his recent treatment by CNN. At the last
minute, the news agency cancelled his live interview from Seattle.
Given this lack of serious media coverage, it was surprising to hear Republican US Congressman Dana Rohrabacher speak at the VIP party on the first day of the marijuana festival in Seattle.
Other keynote speakers include Washington State Senator Jeanne Kohl-Wells, TV personality and travel writer Rick Steves, Seattle City Attorney Pete Holmes, former Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn, and former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson.
It's clear that this movement "has legs", so to speak. The topic of
legalization is an ongoing news story in the United States. Journalists
and politicians will be forced to address this growing national
campaign.
Seattle's Hempfest event claims to be the largest pro cannabis
festival in the world. This year, event organizers are even more excited
than usual. For the first time, it is now actually legal to possess
marijuana in Washington State. After decades of political activity , the dream of Hempfest activists has finally come true.
Included in the 2014 festivities are "pot gardens
" modeled after the traditional German style beer gardens where
adults can imbibe and enjoy the effects of cannabis in regulated areas
away from children. In Washington State, an individual must be over 21
years of age to legally possess marijuana. Although alcohol is mostly
unavailable at Seattle's Hempfest, festival participants are safe to
indulge in the effects of THC and cannabis with no interference from law
enforcement agencies .
Contrary to popular belief, technically, it is still illegal in Seattle to smoke pot in public.
Most of the nation is ill-informed about marijuana policies in
Washington State. The Seattle City Council passed an ordinance which
includes a $20 fine. So, although it's legal to possess up to one ounce,
pot is still regulated like an intoxicating alcoholic beverage. You can't drink a beer while walking down a busy city street in Seattle without risking a fine from police
. It is also illegal to smoke marijuana in public bars, so the
Hempfest folks decided to provide a community service by allowing people
to smoke in their pot gardens.
In 2012 Washington voters approved state-wide Initiative 502, which
legalized the plant and gave the Washington State Liquor Control Board
the authorization to regulate the growing, distribution and sale of
cannabis. The only problem here is that the WSLCB has always been known
as a relatively puritanical state agency. Even after prohibition was
lifted, it was still illegal to sell liquor by the glass in the city of
Seattle. The result was that a preponderance of illegal speakeasys were
established all over town.
In modern times, rock promoters and club owners have often
complained about the tight regulation on alcohol which prohibits night
clubs, and makes it hard for the music industry
to hold all ages events. The point here is that the regulation of
marijuana by this same state agency has led to the same kind of stiff
restrictions on the growing and distribution of legal cannabis products.
It has been an uneasy marriage between the WSLCB and the marijuana
industry.
Because of restrictive liquor laws, music clubs and industry
representatives in Seattle played a major role role in the elections of
the last two mayors. Mayor Mike McGinn promised to allow clubs to stay
open until 4 AM but that campaign promise was never achieved. Current
mayor Ed Murray has also received a lot of support from this sector of
the community. It remains to be seen whether the city can loosen up some
of the liquor board's restrictions on live music and the selling of alcohol.
The usual complaint has been that Seattle could be the next Austin,
Texas with its healthy music and bar scene, but local city officials and
the WSLCB have made that dream impossible in the Emerald City. The teen
dance ordinance was a major thorn in the side of local music promoters,
inspiring the foundation of JAMPAC, a political action committee
sponsored by the music industry .
So, the fact that the Washington State Liquor Control board has been
given the task of regulating the pot industry seems like a disaster
waiting to happen. So far, major urban areas like Seattle have fallen
short in their attempts to meet the huge public demand for legal
marijuana. Since July 8 when the first retail pot stores were opened,
consumers have been forced to cope with long dry spells. The increasing
demand for legal pot has far out stripped the market's capability to
produce the quantity that would be required. Some cannabis activists
blame tight regulatory standards set by the state for their inability to
supply this large consumer market.
Out of a total of 334 licenses approved, only a couple of dozen
retail marijuana stores have actually opened in Washington. Despite this
lack of access to legal pot, the industry has already sold over $4.3
million worth of the product, exceeding the market in Colorado where
ganja is also legal. Some estimates project a profit of over $2 billion
in the first five years of production in Washington state. To limit the
industry to local producers, the state has created strict rules on how
much pot can be grown by any one supplier.
Seattle Hempfest 2014 promises to be the most attended festival in
its long history. Many folks who did not attend past events will be
there this year to enjoy their legal right to possess cannabis. Glass
pipe blowers, medicinal cannabis experts and marijuana advocates of all
kinds are gathering in Seattle Aug. 15 - 17 to celebrate a tradition
that has outlasted all previous city political administrations. It is
quite obvious that legal cannabis is here to stay in Washington State.
Longtime Hempfest organizer Vivian McPeak says he never imagined that
80,000 people would be attending these events when he and his friends
first came up with the idea. McPeak is not happy with the way most of
the corporate media has covered the issue of legal marijuana and the war
on drugs. He complains about his recent treatment by CNN. At the last
minute, the news agency cancelled his live interview from Seattle.
Given this lack of serious media coverage, it was surprising to hear Republican US Congressman Dana Rohrabacher speak at the VIP party on the first day of the marijuana festival in Seattle.
Other keynote speakers include Washington State Senator Jeanne Kohl-Wells, TV personality and travel writer Rick Steves, Seattle City Attorney Pete Holmes, former Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn, and former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson.
It's clear that this movement "has legs", so to speak. The topic of
legalization is an ongoing news story in the United States. Journalists
and politicians will be forced to address this growing national
campaign.
As Seattle's dream of becoming the New Amsterdam unfolds before our
eyes, many marijuana activists are thrilled beyond belief. The news that
pot usage has been accepted as a normal social activity
in Seattle proves that the activists' many years of hard work have
finally paid off. In spite of a controversial cannabis-related DUI law ,
and recent attempts by state legislators to dismantle the medicinal
marijuana program, the campaign to decriminalize and legalize marijuana
has met with success in Washington State.
In order to set the record straight on this political and cultural development, I cite the following facts:
1) 23 US states have adopted medicinal marijuana programs.
2) 16 states (and the District of Columbia) have now decriminalized the possession and use of cannabis.
3) According to the Marijuana Policy Project, there are currently proposals to regulate marijuana as a legal activity in 18 states and the District of Columbia.
Links:
Marijuana Policy Project
http://mpp.org
NORML
http://norml.org
Seattel Hempfest
http://hempfest.org
Teen Dance Ordinance
https://en.wikipedia.org/...
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