Hempfest celebrates its 22nd
year on Seattle’s waterfront and this year is going to be a whole lot
different. Since Washington and Colorado became the first states to legalize
marijuana by adults over the age of 21, Seattle police officers were left with
the question of what to do all day during this event. The answer was simple:
instead of passing out tickets or making arrests, the Seattle police will be at
Hempfest handing out Doritos.
The Dorito promotion is a funny way for
the Seattle police to get involved and help spread the message about legalized
pot. Each bag of Doritos will have a label on it urging people to check out the
website: “Marijwhatnow? A Guide to Legal Marijuana in Seattle”. This guide will
help explain the laws and what is considered illegal in the state. Currently,
while it is legal to possess up to an ounce of marijuana, adults are still not
allowed to sell it or give it away, and driving under the influence of pot is
still a crime. In addition, with the exception of festivals like Hempfest,
public consumption of pot is also against the law.
Organizers of Hempfest expect as many as
85,000 people every day of the three-day event, which starts today! While the
event is free, Hempfest director is asking for a $10 donation to help offset
the costs associated with Hempfest and to ensure that it continues in the
future.
In addition to legally getting high,
participants at this year’s Hempfest will be treated to over 115 musical acts
on six different stages and more than 100 speakers. There will also be over 400
vendors, food, and artwork.
As the legalization of marijuana spreads
throughout the United States, there are many concerned citizens who have begun
to question the side effects this new freedom may carry with it. Yet there may
be one surprising result of legalized marijuana. A recent study found that
states that have legalized medical marijuana have also seen fewer automotive
deaths and injuries.
Research showed that each year the
average number of fatalities due to roadway injuries has been on a steady
decline—particularly in states that have legalized medical marijuana. This study
however does not include Massachusetts, which didn’t pass this legalization
until after the data was collected.
Those opposed to the new legal marijuana
laws have voiced concerns about the effects pot would have on the safety of our
roadways. Yet according to this study, deaths dropped up to 11 percent in the
first year after legalizing medical marijuana. By year four, road fatalities
decreased by 10-13 percent. Scientists believe the increase in smoking has
decreased the amount of alcohol consumption taking place.
It is important to remember, however,
that this research does not condone driving under the influence of any
substance and they are still conducting studies on the effects marijuana has on
your reaction time. Future studies could yield results that could change
society’s perception on drug use.
The issue of legalizing marijuana has
been around for decades. California was the first state to allow the use of
medical marijuana back in 1994. Since then 19 other states have followed suit and
two states, Washington and Colorado, have fully legalized marijuana for both
medical and recreational use. America is paving the way for marijuana
legalization and understanding all of the various factors that it has on our
society and this recent study is just one more example of the benefits of
legalized marijuana.
