Seattle Cops To Hand Out Doritos At Marijuana Festival This Weekend

Seattle Police plan to make an appearance at this weekend’s marijuana-themed Hempfest, but not to make any arrests. Instead, officers plan to hand out 1,000 bags of Doritos in an effort to educate Seattle residents on Washington’s legalization of marijuana.

Police officers say they will be passing out 1-ounce bags of Doritos, equal to the maximum allowable amount of recreational marijuana. Attached to each bag will be a link to the SPD’s “Marijwhatnow” FAQ, which explains specific changes to state marijuana laws. For instance, the FAQ informs Seattleites that the Police Department cannot return marijuana that was confiscated before legalization took effect. Other information on the “Marijwhatnow” FAQ states that it’s legal to possess marijuana, but selling and growing the drug are still illegal until the state begins handing out silences.

Police officials say that the Doritos are an easy way to connect with citizens and remind them of the state’s laws on marijuana. They hope that a lighthearted tone will serve as a friendly reminder of the new laws for Seattle residents.

“Distributing salty snacks at a festival celebrating hemp, I think, is deliberately ironic enough that people will accept them in good humor,” Sgt. Sean Whitcomb told Seattle alt-weekly The Stranger. ”We want to make sure people learn the rules and that they respect the vote.”

The Doritos stunt has earned the Seattle Police Department some excellent press, but it might be difficult for Hempfest attendees to actually get their hands on a bag. The festival is expected to draw more than 250,000 attendees, but police will only have 1,000 bags on hand. And despite the best efforts of their FAQ program, the department still has to deal with plenty of misinformation flying around.