| Photo: Steve Elliott/Reality Catcher |
| Seattle Hempfest 2010 Hemposium participants, from left: Rob Kampia, MPP; Doug McVay, Berkeley Patients Group; Alison Holcomb, ACLU of Washington; and David Nott, Reason Foundation |
Another Seattle Hempfest has entered the history books, and this 19th gathering of the tribes was another great one.
Among the highlights of the event — you know, other than the obvious ones, like 4:20 at the Seeley Stage — were the Hemposium discussion panels including marijuana policy experts from across the country.
For policy wonks and committed marijuana activists, some very exciting quotes came out of those sessions.
Here are five of the best.
| Photo: Facebook |
| Doug McVay, Berkeley Patients Group |
”The time to discuss the wording of the initiative was before it got on the ballot. Now is the time to pass Prop 19. Thoughts are like pollen — once they’re in the air, you never know who’s gonna sneeze. This is a political movement, so the more information sharing, the better. It’s all about moving this issue forward — that’s what it’s always been about.”
~ Doug McVay, Berkeley Patients Group
| Photo: The Austin Chronicle |
| Rob Kampia, Marijuana Policy Project |
“I’m guessing Rhode Island will be the first state in the union to legalize marijuana through the state Legislature. I think that will probably happen in 2013.”
~ Rob Kampia, Marijuana Policy Project
| Photo: Reason Foundation |
| David Nott, Reason Foundation |
“I think the hard work has to be done locally, at the states, step by step, and really effect social change through a process of trial and error. We hope for a world in which this is accepted and there is no conflict. Our role is, we’re covering the social change, because we believe that information changes things.”
~ David Nott, Reason Foundation
| Photo: Facebook |
| Alison Holcomb, ACLU of Washington |
“We’re working with Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles on a comprehensive medical marijuana bill for the 2011 session, and we’re also working with Rep. Mary Lou Dickerson on a measure that would fully legalize and tax marijuana for adults over 21 in Washington state. I think what’s really exciting is we have these state legislators now that are supporting what we are trying to do. Our legislators are now showing the leadership that we’ve been begging them to show for years.”
~ Alison Holcomb, ACLU of Washington
“The V.A. victory was really important. It’s the first time a federal body has recognized medical marijuana, at least since 1978. Having the Veterans Administration say they are essentially not going to punish vets in the 14 medical marijuana states, that’s just enormously important for the rhetoric it provides us on Capitol Hill.”
~ Rob Kampia, MPP