Pubdate: Sun, 18 Aug 2002
Source: Register-Guard, The (OR)
Copyright: 2002 The Register-Guard
Contact:  http://www.registerguard.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/362

SEATTLE'S HEMP FESTIVAL A GREAT BIG HIT

SEATTLE - An estimated 80,000 people packed Myrtle Edwards Park along the 
city's waterfront Saturday for the first day of Hempfest, a weekend 
festival aimed at changing the nation's marijuana laws.

Seattle police were out in force for the event, but there was no shortage 
of joints, pipes or puffy clouds of pot.

"This stuff never hurt nobody," said Bud Mack, 54, a Vietnam veteran who 
attended Hempfest with his daughter, Rainbow.

Organizers said they expect a greater turnout than last summer, when 
150,000 people attended. Hempfest is billed as the largest such event in 
the world, with protesters arguing for the decriminalization or 
legalization of marijuana.

Hempfest director Dominic Holden likes to call it a "protestival."
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MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens