They now have a law encouraging tolerance of marijuana.
Police spokesman Jonah Spangenthal-Lee wrote on the SPD Blotter that officers will be advising people to take their weed inside.
Or as Spangenthal-Lee put it: "The police department believes that, under state law, you may responsibly get baked, order some pizzas and enjoy a ‘Lord of the Rings’ marathon in the privacy of your own home, if you want to."
OMG. That sounds soooo good right now. I should fly back home for Christmas.
Idiot! Doesn’t he know that “The Matrix” movies (usually followed by drowsy, incoherent, discussions about “like, nothing is, like, real, man.”) are the cinematic choice for modern stoners?
Pinch me.
LOTR is more current. And what’s this about Matrix movieS?
(I thought the first one was overrated too, but that’s why I’m not invited to the pot parties)
This should make the fundies happy. Finally everybody can get stoned.
When I was in college, “The Matrix” movies were often referenced in the post-mod, “reality is an illusion,” brainfarts that lazily dribbled from the mouths of most stoners of that era.
Sorry, Harold and Kumar, reality is carved in stone and I’m going to start beating you in the head with that stone until you accept reality or stop twitching, whichever comes first.
(I’m in a very bad mood today. Can’t you tell?)
This would be oh so tempting. Except I avoid smoking pot. It making me sleepy and stupid. And by that, I mean I fall asleep. And what is the point of getting high if you just sleep through it?
And responsibility is so much easier with potheads, after I’ve babysat drunks and stoners in the past (I don’t like being drunk or stoned, so I’m the designated sober guy). You ever have to take away someone’s keys when they’re stoned? Most of my friends would come up to me if they needed anything and ask me to go get it “cause I’m way too baked to drive”. Give me stoners to watch any day of the week; they don’t fight nearly as often, and if they have enough munchies, they’ll keep quiet for hours. Bad philosophy discussions aren’t that terrible to tolerate…
@7:
I agree. As a bartender, dealing with belligerent guests is bad enough. Adf alcohol to the mix and ooooooh boy!
Weed would chill out a belligerent guest quite nicely.
Having lived in a tolerant city for the last 40 years, I say welcome aboard. Sadly marijuana is still just illegal enough that the police can use it to harass their out group of choice…usually young, Black, and male. Want to empty the jails? Stop punishing substance use/abuse, treat it instead.
The city I live in passed a law 4 years ago making pot the least concern for our police. Pretty much the only thing you can get busted for is selling to a minor or driving under the influence.
It’s been great too – we have a heroin trade issue in the area, and the drug task force can spend their time on that.
As I walked around downtown Seattle yesterday I could smell some whiffs of marijuana. I really don’t like the smell, but then again I refuse to enter stores that sell scented candles or burn incense. So I am happy that they send them indoors.
Living just south of there (Oregon), the folks here are calling Vancouver, WA – Vansterdam. ;-)
Once you get done with your holiday baking, I’ll be glad to buy you another round at Pikes Brewery.
There’s a potential for a big buzzkill if the feds decide to crack down. I’m curious to see what happens.
I hear they’re renaming the highway from Bellvue into Seattle.
It’s not going to be 520 any longer…
I hear they’re going to be renaming the highway from Bellevue into Seattle.
It’s not going to be 520 any longer…
Great news – that allows police to concentrate on real problems rather than wasting time with mostly harmless potheads. However, don’t forget the lessons from California: the federal agencies can still swoop in, ignore the state’s sovereignty, and harass and imprison people.
The other cool thing to see were all the gay couples lined up to get their wedding (not ‘partner’, not ‘civil union’, but wedding, mother fuckers!) licenses at midnite last night.
Brought a tear of happiness to this straight white cis male’s eyes, it did. :)
I hope to Cthulhu it brought tears of impotent rage to a few fundy eyes around the country as well. I didn’t notice any whiffs of weed on the air yet, but I don’t mind the smell from a distance. Not interested in toking up myself, but I don’t mind it.
Hey, now! The stereotypes are getting old — we’re not all Cheeto-eating, soda-swilling, “Matrix”-watching burnouts. Some of us are salad-eating, science-loving, gamer geeks!
I’d take further offense, but that, like, takes too much effort, and I don’t wanna harsh my buzz.
*wanders off in a cloud of smoke*
Good on the SPD. they have had a reputation in the past for being Less than friendly to the general public, especially those on the lower end of the socioeconomic scale. Now’s the time for them to just back off a bit.
Here’s the hidden law enforcement “cherry” (the whatchamacallit in those computer games) in the new law.
You can be busted on a traffic stop if you have X amount of residual THC (or the chemical break down components) in your system. It is my understanding that these components last a LONG time in your body, well past being baked, high or mellow.
Of course, this law will be enforced equally amongst middle class white cis males, the elderly, and young black or Hispanic men.
Score one for selfish hedonism.
One reason marijuana prohibition is not equal to alcohol prohibition: with alcohol, you can be around people imbibing without being forced to partake. The same thing is not true with marijuana.
“One reason marijuana prohibition is not equal to alcohol prohibition: with alcohol, you can be around people imbibing without being forced to partake. The same thing is not true with marijuana.”
That’s why delicious brownies and/or yummy candies are the prefered delivery system of stoners who don’t wish to inflict their pleasures on others.