Hempfest's Grass is Greener This Year

[PFlynn]

Seattle, WA - That aroma you're picking up as you walk near Myrtle Edwards Park or downwind from the Olympic Sculpture Park this weekend?

Smells slightly sweet, familiar even, with hints of patchouli and body odor? Does it bring back memories of dorm-room chats or crowded, sweaty concerts? Yeah, you got it.

It's time for the country's biggest "protestival" - Seattle Hempfest - on Saturday and Sunday. All "Reefer Madness" jokes aside, this is a serious event that is expected to draw more than 150,000 people who support reforming laws pertaining to marijuana - especially legalizing the domestic production of that less fun strain, hemp. Of course, some people might be there to check out a festival at which being stoned is no big deal. It's open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. each day.

As usual, hundreds of booths - food and products - will give festival attendees plenty to peruse. They'll also be able to listen to five stages of music and dozens of speakers, including the return of PBS and NPR travel show host Rick Steves, who has spoken out for the decriminalization and regulation of marijuana; Magic Black-Ferguson, the executive director of Grammas for Ganja; and David Frankel, director of the Hemp Industries Association. Headlining musical acts include Bone Thugs-n-Harmony and Laura "Piece" Kelley.

In this 17th year of Seattle Hempfest, "Industrial Hemp" is the dominant theme.

"It's a different strain of marijuana, a nonintoxicating strain with no THC that has 5,000 applicable uses, including textiles and fiberboards," said Vivian McPeak, Hempfest's executive director. "Hempseed is more nutritious than soybeans, hemp plastics stronger than other plastics, and because it's a weed, it's one of the most fibrous plants on the Earth and it fights soil erosion.

There is literally an endless array of uses for the industrial hemp plant. Everything sold in America - jewelry, clothing, the hempseed oil, waffles, ice cream, hemp bread, hemp nuts/seeds sold at Whole Foods - has been imported. The U.S. doesn't allow it to be grown domestically.



News Hawk: PFlynn - http://www.420magazine.com/
Source: Seattle Post-Intelligencer (WA)
Copyright: 2008 Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Contact: editpage@seattlepi.com
Website: Hempfest's grass is greener this year

[sugarmagnolia]

Hempfest Boston anyone?