It’s a challenge to name something with a bigger influence on cannabis laws than Hempfest, for 24 years now protesting marijuana prohibition. It runs this weekend in Seattle, along the waterfront; figure on hundreds of thousands attendees over the entire weekend.
The irony of legal marijuana in Washington will not be lost at Hempfest: While there it is illegal to sell or gift marijuana, or consume it. Now, for 24 years these laws have been ignored at Hempfest, so they will be again this year. Seattle Police have been challenged to come up with a legal strategy that governs their behavior in this situation; busting a few hundred thousand citizens for pot won’t work.
I used to attend quite regularly, but haven’t in many years. The size of the gathering is too big for my tastes. But I do know the message from the dignitaries will be all the work that still needs to be done.