Pubdate: Fri, 19 Sep 2003
Source: Tri-City Herald (WA)
Copyright: 2003 Tri-City Herald
Contact:  http://www.tri-cityherald.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/459

SEATTLE'S GOING TO POT

Wake up and smell the coffee, Seattle. You don't need another addiction.

You sun-deprived hordes in Western Washington are famous for your java 
jones. No one in the Emerald City can walk from Seahawks Stadium to Safeco 
Field without stopping for a latte.

We're OK with that. It's even cute the way you cup one hand over your 
double-talls to keep the rain from diluting the froth.

But the results of this week's citywide initiatives have us worried. Sure, 
rejecting the 10-cent-per-cup espresso tax was inevitable. You have to draw 
the line at a $4 cup of coffee.

It's that other Seattle initiative -- the one that tells police to make 
marijuana busts the department's lowest priority -- that's the cause for 
concern.

The espresso tax failed by a 2-to-1 margin. The winking-at-marijuana 
initiative passed by 59 percent.

The new law probably doesn't change anything, other than sending a message 
to Seattle's kids that no one particularly cares who smokes pot.

That's not good policy for any town, but especially not Seattle.

You're already home to the Seahawks and grunge music. The rain that started 
this week? It won't stop until June. And your traffic, don't even get us 
started.

Face it Seattle, you've got more than enough reasons to get depressed. 
Stick to the caffeine.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom