HEMPFEST SEEKS TO ALTER MINDS, OF THE VOTING VARIETY

Seattle Hempfest is not your average summer festival. This ain't the Warped
Tour, End Fest or any other fun-in-the-sun event (although for the past
eight years running, attendees have had plenty of both.)

Hempfest pushes for the decriminalization of marijuana and the processing
of industrial hemp products without scrutiny from the Drug Enforcement
Administration -- a controversial agenda for what thousands consider summer
entertainment. But really, it's more of a demonstration meant to raise
awareness -- with lots of food and music. A crowd of 90,000 people showed
up last year.

"What we're looking for is for adults who use marijuana responsibly to not
serve any penalty at all. . . . that non-violent drug offenders be given an
alternative to prison," says Dominic Holden, director of the Hemp Coalition
and a Hempfest organizer. The coalition also advocates the legalization of
marijuana for medicinal uses.

To Holden, the same standards by which we judge responsible alcohol use
also should define responsible marijuana use.

According to the Drug Enforcement Administration's Web site
(www.usdoj.gov/dea/), "marijuana contains known toxins and cancer-causing
chemicals." But Holden says "marijuana is not a toxic drug -- not in a way
that it can destroy anyone's life. As long as someone is not causing harm
to themselves or others, there's no reason that they should receive
punishment for it." He hastens to add that neither he nor any of the
Hempfest organizers advocates that attendees use drugs.

Hempfest organizers and supporters have a tough row to hoe.

Data compiled by Drug Sense, a group opposed to the marijuana-centric focus
of the war on drugs, presents some thought-provoking numbers. Drug Sense
cites a 1997 Department of Justice report and information from the Bureau
of Justice Statistics showing that about 60 percent of America's federal
prisoners are non-violent drug offenders, more than those doing time for
rape, murder, robbery and aggravated assault combined -- all costing the
country $17.1 billion a year.

Anti-marijuana efforts also have put hemp sellers out of business or forced
them to operate via mail order or on the Web.

"Actually, there's a lot of demand for hemp products . . . the DEA has put
seizures over a lot of things coming over the border, particularly the
Canadian border, and it's put a bit of a scare into the hemp community,"
Holden says.

Hempfest executive director Vivian McPeak agrees.

"Basically, they require less than .03 percent THC (the mind-altering
chemical found in marijuana) in industrial hemp products . . . it's a very
small, minute amount, but they're seizing shipments of people's hemp goods
coming from China, Canada and a variety of places," says McPeak, adding
that hemp merchants aren't charged, but their products are confiscated, and
those losses can cripple small businesses.

The processing of hemp seeds has to be done in other countries because of
U.S. restrictions.

Although hemp stores are still popping up here and there, shops in
Belltown, Fremont, Capitol Hill and the University District have shut down
over the past couple of years.

Hemp-seed goodies aren't as easy to find as they were a couple of years
ago, but stores catering to the health-food crowd, such as PCC stores,
still carry hemp oil, which is consumed for its high content of essential
fatty acids.

Also available are a variety of hemp lip balms, soaps, massage oils and
skin-care products. Of course, you'll find all kinds of hemp products at
Hempfest.

It's hard to tell if people are flocking to Hempfest because they care
about the political issues behind hemp use or if they just want a good
party. The truth probably includes a bit of both.

IF YOU GO ... SEATTLE HEMPFEST WHEN: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. tomorrow WHERE:
Myrtle Edwards Park, Seattle ADMISSION: Free EVENTS: "Hemposium," arts and
crafts, political booths, speakers and bands (including Gruntruck, Zen
Tricksters, Cannabis Cup Band) INFORMATION: Call 206-781-5734 or check:
http://www.seattlehempfest.com/