The 22 year Summer concert tradition on Seattle’s waterfront will be much different than years past.
After Washington and Colorado became the first states to legalize marijuana use by adults over 21, at this year’s event Seattle’s finest will not be writing tickets or making any arrests. They’ll be busy handing out Doritos. “I think it’s going to be a lot of fun,” said Sgt. Sean Whitcomb. “It’s meant to be ironic. The idea of police passing out Doritos at a festival that celebrates pot, we’re sure, is going to generate some buzz.”
The purpose for the freebies aren’t just to satisfy munchies. The department has affixed labels to 1,000 bags of Doritos urging people to check out a question-and-answer post on its website, titled “Marijwhatnow? A Guide to Legal Marijuana Use In Seattle.” Explaining nuances of Washington’s law: that adults can possess up to an ounce but can’t sell it or give it away, that driving under the influence of pot is illegal, and that – festivals aside – public use is illegal.
Organizers are expecting as many as 85,000 people each day of the three-day event, which begins Friday and is the first Hempfest since voters passed Initiative 502 last fall.
