Seattle Cops Handing Out Munchies at 'Hempfest'

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By Brett Snider, Esq. on August 16, 2013 1:41 PM

Seattle police aren't all looking to hand out citations at the city's three-day marijuana festival, billed as one of the world's largest. Instead, some officers are handing out snacks to help pot-friendly partiers beat the "munchies" -- and learn about the law.

Hempfest 2013 kicks off today with the support of Seattle's police department, which plans to dole out bags of Doritos to festival-goers -- along with a mini-guide on Washington's new marijuana law, reports NBC News.

Free snacks with a helpful legal message aren't likely to harsh the mellow of even the most cynical Hempfest attendee.

Dude, Where's My Snack?

Seattle's men and women in blue will be handing out cheesy sancks with an attached pot law guide -- a tactic that Seattle police have dubbed "Operation Orange Fingers," reports Time.

Once Hempfest participants finish idly sucking the delicious orange food chemicals off their fingers, police hope they'll take a moment to thumb through a mini version of "Marijwhatnow?," a guide to Washington state's marijuana laws and legal marijuana use in Seattle.

By anchoring the guide to the undying appeal of salty carbohydrates, Seattle's law enforcement want to ensure that the city's pot celebration can also spread awareness about the state of Washington's laws since Initiative 502 was approved by voters last fall.

Limits to Good Times in Seattle

Despite the legalization of recreational pot use by adults in the state, as "Marijwhatnow" clarifies, there are still some legal no-no's relating to reefer in Seattle. For example:

  • No smoking in public. A civil infraction similar to a traffic ticket can be issued for smoking in a park or even Hempfest 2013
  • No open marijuana containers in public. Similar to open container laws for alcohol, opening a bag of weed on the street is a no-go.
  • No driving while stoned. The DUI limit for THC is fairly strict -- 5 nanograms per milliliter of blood -- and the law is being enforced.
  • No minors in possession. Just like with alcohol, anyone under 21 caught with weed will be wishing it was just a bag of Funyuns on them.
  • No federal protection. Even though it may be legal to possess a certain amount of pot under Washington state law, it's still illegal under federal law.

So if you're one of the estimated 200,000 pot enthusiasts headed to Hempfest this year, make sure to read the helpful guide attached to your nacho-cheesier treasures before you spark one up in public.

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