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World's largest pro-pot rally rolls into town, police not worried

 

Rick Steves, travel writer and television producer, address the crowd at Hempfest 2007 (Grant M. Haller/P-I photos)

This weekend, Hempfest rolls into Seattle, holding claim as the biggest pro-pot rally in the world.

How are the police handling it?

"Actually, Hempfest is one of the easier events that we do," police spokesman Mark Jamieson said. "There has always been great cooperation between the organizers and SPD.

"We haven't had any major problems since Seattle's been doing Hempfest."

The festival stemmed from a Gulf War protest in 1990 and began as an annual event with a 500 person turnout the following year.

Johanna Saavevra came in the front gate ready to party at the 15th annual Hempfest.

Attendance jumped to 5,000 people in 1993 -- a year that featured blatant marijuana smoking in the "Bong-a-Thon," but didn't come with major repercussions from police.

Police said about 60 people were cited for illegal marijuana use at the 1997 Hempfest, and about a third of that number were arrested at the event the following year.

In 2001 -- the year Hempfest became a two-day event -- a West Precinct police commander told the Seattle P-I that there was only one arrest.

Police in the past have taken a low-key approach to policing pot use at Hempfest and aren't expecting anything worse this year when a crowd of more than 150,000 people is expected to pack Myrtle Edwards Park.

A month after the 2003 Hempfest, Seattle voters passed an initiative making the investigation, arrest and prosecution of marijuana offenses the lowest law enforcement priority when the drug was intended for adult personal use.

Medical marijuana has been legal in Washington since 1998.

Organizers tell people to Leave their Drugs and Booze at Home! The festival is about education rather than a big excuse to get stoned, organizers say.

Speakers and performers included travel guru Rick Steves and Layzie Bone of Bone Thugs-n-Harmony fame. (Let's hope things go better than the  last time Layzie Bone was here.)

To read a more detailed history of the festival,Read the Story