Pubdate: Sat, 17 Aug 2013 Source: Tulsa World (OK) Copyright: 2013 World Publishing Co. Contact: http://www.tulsaworld.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/463 HEMPFEST ATTENDEES WANT FEDERAL WEED LAW CHANGED Thousands streamed into a Seattle waterfront park Friday for the opening of a three-day marijuana festival - an event that is part party, part protest and part victory celebration after the legalization of pot in Washington and Colorado last fall. The free, annual event was expected to draw as many as 85,000 people per day. Hempfest is in its 22nd year of advocating for the legalization of marijuana, and this is the first time it's been held since last fall, when Washington's voters approved Initiative 502 and Colorado's passed Amendment 64, legalizing the possession of up to an ounce of pot by adults over 21. Both states are developing systems of state-licensed growers and processors, along with stores where taxed, regulated weed will be sold. Vivian McPeak, Hempfest's executive director, said this year's event was dedicated to reforming federal marijuana laws - specifically, the removal of marijuana as a Schedule 1 drug, meaning a drug that has no medical benefit and a high likelihood of abuse. "What we've seen with the historic passage of I-502 and measure 62 in Colorado is that change is definitely in the wind," she said. - - FROM WIRE REPORTS - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom