Seattle’s City Attorney stood in line to buy legal pot yesterday for personal use

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Joe Mabel
Seattle City Attorney Pete Holmes speaking at the 2012 Seattle Hemp Festival.


Legal sales of limited amounts of cannabis to adults 21 and up began in Washington state yesterday, with long lines an high prices the theme of the day ($160 quarters?!).
But those issues aside, it was also a monumental day as the state became the second in the nation with open, recreational pot shops. It was one that Seattle City Attorney Pete Holmes personally wanted to celebrate, so he stood in line and bought some pot.


Local Fox affiliate Q13 caught up with Holmes in line at Cannabis City, the lone pot shop open in Seattle, who said he hoped that the DEA wouldn’t mind but he was going to grab some herb.
“The most important take away here is that today marijuana sales became legal and I’m here to personally exercise myself this new freedom,” Holmes said. “I bought two 2-gram bags of OG pearl which was recommended. I’m keeping one bag for posterity and one for personal enjoyment at some point when it’s appropriate.”
Yes, Seattle’s city attorney puffs tough. Or, at least puffs. And he believes in the new laws (despite their flaws and absurdly high tax rates).
“This can happen responsibly. Driving this market this industry this amazingly demanded product into the shadows does not advance public safety. The best way you can support law enforcement is to make this legal and regulate it and tax it and that’s the message here.”
Holmes said he was not violating any city policy or ordinance by purchasing the weed.
That Holmes uses cannabis and is an advocate for it despite his position isn’t really anything new to Seattle residents. Holmes made news in 2010 after he started dismissing marijuana possession cases in the city within weeks of being voted in to his position, and he’s been a regular speaker at Hempfest in Seattle for years.

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