Slog

News & Arts

Line Out

Music & the City
at Night

« Queer Youth Space: "Not Shackled to… | Required Reading for Readers »

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Drugs It's 4/20: Come See a State Supreme Court Judge, a State Senator, the City Attorney, and a Defense Lawyer Talk About How to Legalize Pot

Posted by Dominic Holden on Tue, Apr 20, 2010 at 12:58 PM

Back when I was a pot activist, people used to say things all the time—all the time they wanted an excuse to get high—like, "It's always 4:20 somewhere in the world." No, it is not always 4:20, trout brains, because time zones aren't drawn in one-minute increments. Four god damn twenty.

That said, because I used to be pot activist, and because pot prohibition is truly one of the must pernicious laws in the books, and because people still want me to talk about pot, and because 4/20 is like international smoke-till-you-puke day, I couldn't resist this offer.

Tonight at University Heights, the 43rd District Democrats will host a forum on the "legal, societal and economic ramifications of decriminalizing versus legalizing marijuana." I'll be moderating.

Here's the awesome lineup: Washington State Supreme Court Justice Richard B. Sanders, Washington State Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles (D-36), Seattle City Attorney Pete Holmes, and attorney and reform activist Douglas Hiatt who's running the initiative to legalize pot in Washington. I'm curious how far the judge and prosecutor think the state can go—how much pot people can possess, grow, and transfer—before ending up in legally murky territory with state and federal courts. I'm interested to hear from Kohl-Welles and Hiatt how to toe that line and the realistic strategy for getting there.

It runs from 7:30 p.m. at 8:30 p.m. at University Heights Community Center (50th and the Ave).

(This would be a good place to mention that if you show up totally baked and leave with a severe diagnosis of the munchies, go to Jewel of India on The Ave between 50th and 47th. That tikka masla... oh, man. Bro. Dude.)

Comments (20) RSS

Oldest First Unregistered On Registered On Add a comment

It's on the bottom floor. Beer, wine, hard cider and pop available for donations.

Should be fun - and you can always join everyone for Bubble Tea afterwards.

Posted by Will in Seattle

on April 20, 2010 at 1:03 PM

4/20 makes me cringe the way hempfest makes you cringe, dom.

the same way cinco de mayo or st patricks day make alcoholics embarrassed for the rest of the bar.

Posted by Josh Bomb

on April 20, 2010 at 1:42 PM

that said, i do welcome and encourage the legalization discussion opportunities that this day provides.

Posted by Josh Bomb

on April 20, 2010 at 1:45 PM

Wait - isn't it on the top floor? Northeast room? Did we change rooms, and nobody told me? WTF?

Posted by michaelp on April 20, 2010 at 1:48 PM

yeah, didn't you get Julian's email, Michael?

don't worry, there will be a signup table outside.

Most people donate $1 to $2 for the beer or hard cider or pop.

Posted by Will in Seattle

on April 20, 2010 at 1:54 PM

There's a whole slew of delicious, relatively cheap restaurants right across the street, not to mention Pizza Ragazzi's walk up window, which is sure to be EXTREMELY busy today.

Posted by Hernandez

on April 20, 2010 at 2:02 PM

Okay, for old time's sake and before retiring this joke, Dom...

...MAYBE AFTERWARD WHEN YOU'RE HUNGRY YOU CAN EAT AN ENTIRE ROASTED CHICKEN!

Posted by Baconcat on April 20, 2010 at 2:10 PM

BTW - today is also "Equal Pay Day" - meaning that today is the day the average woman will make what an average man made Jan1 2009-Dec 31 2009. If we also started Jan 1 2009 that is. Sad but true. Maybe I'll just go smoke some pot and try to forget.

Posted by scharrera on April 20, 2010 at 2:16 PM

Really good Indian restaurants on the Ave as well.

Equal Pay Day is 1/1/2010 if you live in Vermont.

Posted by Will in Seattle

on April 20, 2010 at 2:19 PM

@9, you mean Indian restaurants like THE ONE DOM MENTIONED IN HIS POST?

Warning, pot smokers: pot should be legal but it does turn you into Will in Seattle in the brains department.

Posted by Fnarf

on April 20, 2010 at 2:40 PM

@10 -

Don't insult pot smokers.

@9

j/k!

Posted by michaelp on April 20, 2010 at 2:49 PM

For those who can't attend the discussion in person, we'll be live streaming the discussion at http://www.livestream.com/43rddemocrats. Hope to see you there or online!

Posted by vancasavant on April 20, 2010 at 2:58 PM

For those who can't attend, we'll be live streaming the discussion at http://livestream.com/43rddemocrats. Hope to see you there or online!

Posted by vancasavant on April 20, 2010 at 3:01 PM

@10 - yeah, but those are my second tier choices. they're ok, but there are better ones.

Posted by Will in Seattle

on April 20, 2010 at 3:29 PM

Don't worry, even if it's 4/20 we're not streaming it in 3D, just 2D, right @12 @13 ...

Posted by Will in Seattle

on April 20, 2010 at 3:30 PM

"4/20" always makes me think, "Hitler's birthday."

Which makes it ever more absurd to hear everyone on the Weed Bus cheering for this day to arrive.

Posted by Telsa Grills on April 20, 2010 at 4:10 PM

@14, "those"? What "those"? Dom mentioned ONE. You didn't read his post before blessing us with your wisdom, so you missed that. You got called on it, but you STILL haven't read it, so your futile ass-covering here just makes you look more like a thoughtless, clueless, brainless boob. Go away.

Posted by Fnarf

on April 20, 2010 at 5:25 PM

aww, you upset yet again? Why don't you go light up with Joni Earl ...

Posted by Will in Seattle

on April 20, 2010 at 5:49 PM

Latitude and longitude are measured in degrees and minutes, with 60 minutes in each degree. So if you are 20 minutes from the nearest latitude, could it be 4:20?

Posted by Mr Kreaky Bones on April 21, 2010 at 12:09 PM

20 Comment Pulled (Spam) Comment Policy