Seattle targets HempFest, then drops citation and fine

SEATTLE — A giant summertime festival celebrating all things marijuana has drawn support or at least toleration over the years from officials in Seattle, the largest city in one of the first states to legalize recreational pot.

Police have handed out bags of chips and looked the other way as thousands lit up at HempFest. Mayor Ed Murray has addressed the gathering, as has City Attorney Pete Holmes, a sponsor of Washington’s legal pot law.

But in a skirmish that highlights the often confusing nature of legal marijuana laws, city regulators have taken an interest in some much smaller events put on by Seattle Events, the nonprofit that runs HempFest — going as far as to issue a $1,000 fine accusing it of operating a marijuana business without a license.

The June citation stemmed from a party of about 75 people that the organization held at a home with private event space on April 20, the holiday celebrating marijuana culture. The party was for HempFest members only, but…

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