Seattle HempFest is the largest cannabis convocation in the world and likely the biggest organized pro-cannabis protest in the world.
This year this event is even more exciting than other years, as it is celebrating
It’s 25th anniversary. Hempfest’s list of achievements includes it’s designation as the largest annual cannabis policy reform event in the world. the most sophisticated and socially responsible cannabis rally in history, and perhaps the largest annual free speech event in the nation.
Rachel Kurtz, who has been organizing HempFest for over a decade now, said, “This is my 13th year of working on HempFest’s core staff, and probably my 8th year of scheduling speakers. It’s amazing to think about how far we’ve come in 25 years, from total prohibition, to legal medical, to legal for all adults. HempFest played a huge role in normalizing Cannabis in Washington state to get it to that point. There is still much work to be done – hopefully it won’t take another 25 years!”
Trista Okel will be one of the event’s speakers and said, “It’s an honor to be speaking at the 25th Anniversary of Seattle HempFest. Although we are fortunate to live in a place where cannabis is regulated, there is much more work to do to decriminalize and demystify the plants for thee masses. I welcome the opportunity to encourage others to change the laws where they live, one heart and mind at a time, by speaking my truth at this historic event.”
Trista will be speaking alongside many others who have been key in the cannabis movement in our country, including Joy Beckerman, who is the recipient of one of two prestigious annual HempFest awards as The Regional Cannabis Activist of the Year! Catch Joy s part of the power hour on the Main Satge at 4:20 pm on Saturday, along with the recipient of the National Cannabis Activist Award, Rick Steves.
For their 25th anniversary, HempFest has included these 25 national and regional movement goals in this year’s platform are:
- DeSchedule: Cannabis completely off the Federal Schedule / Controlled Substances Act
- Removal of Cannabis from all binding treaties
- Release of all non-violent cannabis offenders nationally
- Reparations in the form of expunction of all records relating to convictions for cannabis possession.
- Parental rights / protections for cannabis users
- Second Amendment equality protections for cannabis users
- Merit based licensing for pot stores (or remove caps on the number of stores to allow a supply and demand based market model)
- Legal home-grows
- Legal school medicating for minor patients
- Workplace protections / job discrimination
- Reasonable regulations for concentrates
- Restricting pesticides/herbicides/fungicides (organic production standards)
- Driving impairment technology (impairment based field test)
- Fair, reasonable zoning for cannabis businesses
- Tax/banking reform (end 280E restrictions)
- Reasonable smell regulations for production facilities and elsewhere
- Environmental impact of throw away packaging examined
- Public consumption lounges allowed
- First Amendment equality in advertising, sponsorship, and promotion for cannabis related businesses
- Consumption protections for patients in public housing
- Legal domestic industrial hemp production
- Tenant /Renter consumption protections
- Use in hospitals
- Equality protections for transplant patients
- Nutritional, sugar-free medical-marijuana “medible” alternatives
Get more information here: http://www.hempfest.org