Pubdate: Thu, 06 Dec 2012 Source: Philadelphia Inquirer, The (PA) Copyright: 2012 Philadelphia Newspapers Inc Contact: http://www.philly.com/inquirer/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/340 Page: A24 MARIJUANA LEGAL IN WASH. TODAY SEATTLE (AP) - Legal marijuana possession becomes a reality in Washington state Thursday, and some plan to celebrate the new law by breaking it. Voters in Washington and Colorado last month made those the first states to decriminalize and regulate the recreational use of marijuana. Washington's law takes effect Thursday and allows adults to have up to an ounce of pot - but it bans public use, which is punishable by a fine. Still, some people planned to gather to smoke beneath Seattle's Space Needle. Others planned to party outside Hempfest headquarters in Seattle. Jenny Durkan, the U.S. Attorney for western Washington, sent out a statement Wednesday saying that regardless of measures in the states, the federal ban remains unchanged. The statement did not come with any legal action by the Justice Department to block the law from taking effect. - --- MAP posted-by: Matt