It should have been a day of laid back revelry, however the crowd at the nation’s largest Hemp Fest were divided yesterday over issues surrounding the legalization of medical cannabis. Washington is one of three states with initiatives on November ballots. Supporters say that support for the state’s Initiative 502 is crucial in order to sustain national momentum for support of the overturning of marijuana prohibition.

But patients already receiving medical cannabis worry about provisions in the initiative which allow for strict guidelines, especially laws pertaining to driving under the influence of marijuana. Proponents for the legal use of cannabis are amazed at the undercurrent of opposition and find themselves somewhat stuck in the middle.

If passed, Initiative 502 would make it legal for a person aged 21 and over to posses up to an ounce of marijuana and set up regulations for it to be sold and taxed at state licensed stores.  Opponents of the law say that, as it stands now, if passed it will set up strict driving standards with a definable blood limit.  Those who currently receive medical marijuana fear that this would put them in jeopardy of being arrested.

There was a highly charged debate on Saturday as opponents and proponents of Initiative 502 went after each other.

In support of I 502 is Seattle Major Mike McGinn. “Here’s what we know: Prohibition has not worked. It’s fueled criminal violence. Right now in this city, people are murdering each other over pot…. It’s time to stop. It’s time to tax it, regulate it, legalize it.”

Opponents to the initiative complain that they were shut out of the debate. Steve Sarich, an advocate for medical cannabis but heads up the campaign to defeat I 502, was not invited to the debate. “They’ve locked us out of the debate,” said Sarich. He had some pretty nasty words for both event organizers and attendees. “Hemp Fest is 250,000 people and 60 voters, so we don’t necessarily expect to make a whole lot of converts, because most of the people here don’t even vote.”

In an attempt to smooth the frazzled nerves of the debaters, moderator Don Wirtshafter said, “Never has an issue divided our community like 502 “Hopefully, here we can use the Hempfest festival to work toward more energy, and what we can ag