Originally published Wednesday, August 14, 2013 at 7:17 PM 
 
 Seattle police will be handing out bags of Doritos at Hempfest on Saturday. They’ll also be busting people who break the state’s new pot law. 
 
 They’re calling it “Operation Orange Fingers.” Really. 
 
 Seattle police will hand out bags of Doritos at Hempfest on Saturday. 
 
 Police department spokesman Sgt. Sean Whitcomb confirmed the unusual duty, saying he and other officers will distribute one-ounce bags of nacho-cheese chips with educational information affixed to them about the state’s new legal pot law. 
 
 The bags also will contain a label with a link to the department’s “Marijwhatnow” FAQ, which explains that, yes, adults are now allowed to possess up to an ounce of weed, and that, no, you can’t get back the pot that cops might have seized before voters legalized recreational weed in last November’s election. 
 
 “A lot of people still have questions about the nuances of the law and 2013 is a year very much in transition for people who enjoy pot,” Whitcomb said. 
 
 Police are having some fun with the assignment. 
 
 “Please ignore maliciously false reports that we’re giving out Bugles at @seattlehempfest. We would never, ever do that,” the department tweeted Wednesday. 
 
 Operation Orange Fingers will be funded by the private Seattle Police Foundation, Whitcomb said. 
 
 The department expects to give out just 1,000 bags of chips, Whitcomb said. That’s likely to lead to some “Dude, where’s my Doritos?” queries from the 250,000 folks expected to attend the three-day, pro-pot event this weekend at Myrtle Edwards Park on the Seattle waterfront near Belltown. 
 
 The idea is not to cure the munchies, Whitcomb said, but “to pique their curiosity and get them to go to our FAQ.” 
 
 Kidding aside, Whitcomb said police will enforce aspects of the new law at Hempfest. He said they would bust minors for consuming in public, which is a misdemeanor. And he said they would bust people dealing pot, which is a felony. 
 
 Under the new law, only state-licensed stores can sell pot. 
 
 Because it’s still illegal to consume pot in public, Whitcomb said, officers will give warnings to adults they encounter getting high at Hempfest. 
 
 That’s not to say people should expect a “task force of undercover officers to infiltrate Hempfest,” he said. 
 
 But minors “can expect enforcement,” he said, because “it’s a big deal.” 
 
 Some officers don’t even want to wade into Hempfest, Whitcomb said, because they’re concerned about breathing in secondhand smoke and testing positive for pot. 
 
 Despite the state law, Seattle officers can’t use pot off-duty because marijuana use remains a federal violation and cops take an oath to uphold federal law, he said. 
 
 But officers would respond to any emergency, need or request for services, he said. 
 
 Whitcomb will speak about the department’s pot policies from Hempfest’s main stage Saturday at 2:50 p.m. 
 
 “The much-coveted 4:20 spot had gone to someone else,” he said. 
 
 Bob Young: 206-464-2174 or byoung@seattletimes.com 

 Preamble Preamble 
 
 The Seattle HEMPFEST® protestival is founded in the belief that the public is better served when citizens and public officials work cooperatively in order to successfully accomplish common goals. 
 
 Mission To educate the public on the myriad applications of the cannabis plant, the laws about its use, efforts for reform, and conducting business in the new legal environment. 

 The people have spoken. Voters have passed Initiative 502 and beginning December 6th, it is not a violation of state law for adults over 21 years old to possess up to an ounce of marijuana (or 16 ounces of solid marijuana-infused product, like cookies, or 72 ounces of infused liquid, like oil) for personal use. The initiative establishes a one-year period for the state to develop rules and a licensing system for the marijuana production and sale. 
 
 Marijuana has existed in a grey area in Seattle for some time now. Despite a longstanding national prohibition on marijuana, minor marijuana possession has been the lowest enforcement priority for the Seattle Police Department since Seattle voters passed Initiative 75 in 2003. Officers don’t like grey areas in the law. I-502 now gives them more clarity. 
 
 Marijuana legalization creates some challenges for the Seattle Police Department, but SPD is already working to respond to these issues head on, by doing things like reviewing SPD’s hiring practices for police officers to address now-legal marijuana usage by prospective officers, as well as current employees. 
 
 While I-502 has decriminalized marijuana possession in Washington, the new state law does not change federal law, which classifies marijuana as a Schedule I narcotic. All Seattle Police officers have taken an oath to uphold not only state law, but federal law as well. However, SPD officers will follow state law, and will no longer make arrests for marijuana possession as defined under I-502. 
 
 The Seattle Police Department and Mayor Mike McGinn have already begun working with state officials to navigate this conflict, and follow the direction of Washington voters to legalize marijuana. 
 
 In the meantime, the Seattle Police Department will continue to enforce laws against unlicensed sale or production of marijuana, and regulations against driving under the influence of marijuana, which remain illegal. 
 
 TL;DR? 
 
 Here’s a practical guide for what the Seattle Police Department believes I-502 means for you, beginning December 6th, based on the department’s current understanding of the initiative Please keep in mind that this is all subject to ongoing state and local review, and that it describes the view of the Seattle Police Department only. All marijuana possession and sale remains illegal under federal law, and Seattle Police cannot predict or control the enforcement activities of federal authorities. 
 
 Can I legally carry around an ounce of marijuana? 
 
 According to the recently passed initiative, beginning December 6th, adults over the age of 21 will be able to carry up to an ounce of marijuana for personal use. Please note that the initiative says it “is unlawful to open a package containing marijuana…in view of the general public,” so there’s that. Also, you probably shouldn’t bring pot with you to the federal courthouse (or any other federal property). 
 
 Well, where can I legally buy pot, then? 
 
 The Washington State Liquor Control Board is working to establish guidelines for the sale and distribution of marijuana. The WSLCB has until December 1, 2013 to finalize those rules. In the meantime, production and distribution of non-medical marijuana remains illegal. 
 
 Does I-502 affect current medical marijuana laws? 
 
 No, medical marijuana laws in Washington remain the same as they were before I-502 passed. 
 
 Can I grow marijuana in my home and sell it to my friends, family, and co-workers? 
 
 Not right now. In the future, under state law, you may be able to get a license to grow or sell marijuana. 
 
 Can I smoke pot outside my home? Like at a park, magic show, or the Bite of Seattle? 
 
 Much like having an open container of alcohol in public, doing so could result in a civil infraction—like a ticket—but not arrest. You can certainly use marijuana in the privacy of your own home. Additionally, if smoking a cigarette isn’t allowed where you are (say, inside an apartment building or flammable chemical factory), smoking marijuana isn’t allowed there either. 
 
 Will police officers be able to smoke marijuana? 
 
 As of right now, no. This is still a very complicated issue. 
 
 If I apply for a job at the Seattle Police Department, will past (or current) marijuana use be held against me? The current standard for applicants is that they have not used marijuana in the previous three years. In light of I-502, the department will consult with the City Attorney and the State Attorney General to see if and how that standard may be revised. 
 
 What happens if I get pulled over and an officer thinks I’ve been smoking pot? 
 
 If an officer believes you’re driving under the influence of anything, they will conduct a field sobriety test and may consult with a drug recognition expert. If officers establish probable cause, they will bring you to a precinct and ask your permission to draw your blood for testing. If officers have reason to believe you’re under the influence of something, they can get a warrant for a blood draw from a judge. If you’re in a serious accident, then a blood draw will be mandatory. 
 
 What happens if I get pulled over and I’m sober, but an officer or his K9 buddy smells the ounce of Super Skunk I’ve got in my trunk? 
 
 Under state law, officers have to develop probable cause to search a closed or locked container. Each case stands on its own, but the smell of pot alone will not be reason to search a vehicle. If officers have information that you’re trafficking, producing or delivering marijuana in violation of state law, they can get a warrant to search your vehicle. 
 
 SPD seized a bunch of my marijuana before I-502 passed. Can I have it back? 
 
 No. 
 
 Will SPD assist federal law enforcement in investigations of marijuana users or marijuana-related businesses, that are allowed under I-502? 
 
 No. Officers and detectives will not participate in an investigation of anything that’s not prohibited by state law. 
 
 December 6th seems like a really long ways away. What happens if I get caught with marijuana before then? Hold your breath. Your case will be processed under current state law. However, there is already a city ordinance making marijuana enforcement the lowest law enforcement priority. 
 
 I’m under 21. What happens if I get caught smoking pot? 
 
 It’s a violation of state law. It may referred to prosecutors, just like if you were a minor in possession of alcohol. 
 
 *This post has been updated since its initial publication to include more legalese and fewer references to narcotics dogs which, as it turns out, are still a confusing, complicated issue still under review. 

 Seattle polilce plan to hand out Nacho Cheese Doritos this weekend at Hempfest, the world's largest pro-pot rally. (FritoLay) 
 
 By Casey McNerthney, KIRO 7 STAFF 
 
 The world’s largest pro-pot rally will be in Seattle this weekend – and police here are handing out free bags of Doritos. 
 
 The bags of nacho cheese-flavored chips will come with information about Initiative 502, the voter-approved initiative that made small amounts of marijuana legal for adult consumption in Washington. 
 
 “It’s meant to be funny and ultimately our No. 1 goal is community outreach and public education,” said Sgt. Sean Whitcomb, who also is speaking on a Hempfest stage Saturday. “It totally buys into the stereotype, but in this particular case, we feel that we’ll be getting our message out.” 
 
 The 1,000 bags of chips are paid for by the Seattle Police Foundation, so taxpayer money isn’t being used, Whitcomb said. 
 
 “A lot of people are confused and still have questions,” he said of I-502. “We want people to know the rules to follow the law and respect the vote.” 
 
 The Doritos effort is more attention for a police department that received worldwide attention last November for their question and answer guide called “Marijwhatnow? A Guide to Legal Marijuana Use In Seattle.” 
 
 The guide had questions such as, “What happens if I get pulled over and I’m sober, but an officer or his K9 buddy smells the ounce of Super Skunk I’ve got in my trunk?” It also included a YouTube video clip from “Lord of the Rings” titled “The Finest Weed.” 
 
 Hempfest is expected to bring at least 250,000 people over three days. 
 
 In 1987, McPeak formed the Seattle Peace Heathens Community Action Group, which ultimately grew to form the Hempfest organizing crew. The group organized a Gas Works Park peace vigil in 1990, protesting the Gulf War, and drug advocate Timothy Leary was among the visitors during the six months it lasted. The protesters sang, meditated and one day invited a speaker from a marijuana law-reform group. 
 
 That evolved into the Washington Hemp Expo in spring 1991, drawing about 500 people to Volunteer Park. When it was renamed Hempfest the following year, attendance quadrupled. By 1993 the festival had 5,000 people. That year also had a “Bong-a-Thon," but few problems with police. 
 
 The citations for marijuana came at the 1997 Hempfest when about 60 people were ticketed. But no citations were issued in the last two years, which drew crowds of roughly 300,000 people. Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn was among the many speakers at the 2011 Hempfest. 
 
 A month after the 2003 Hempfest, Seattle voters passed an initiative making the investigation, arrest and prosecution of marijuana offenses, when the drug was intended for adult personal use, the lowest law enforcement priority. Medical marijuana has been legal in Washington since 1998. 
 
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– Who knew? Police have a sense of humor, at least in Seattle. Cops there plan to attend this weekend's Hempfest—where they'll distribute 1,000 bags of Doritos on Saturday. A note affixed to each bag will direct munchers to the SPD's "Marijwhatnow" FAQ, which tries to clear up confusion related to the state's legalization of small amounts of the drug. (It explains, for instance, that the SPD won't return the pot it confiscated from you in pre-legal days.) The chips will come in one-ounce bags, equal to the maximum amount of allowable recreational weed. But with 250,000 people likely to attend the event, the bags will be hard to come by, the Seattle Times notes. And "Operation Orange Fingers" does have some in the department worried, says an SPD rep, who explains that some officers fear they could inhale second-hand marijuana then test positive for it, thus breaking their promise to uphold federal law. But, again, humor seems to prevail. A tweet from the department yesterday: "Please ignore maliciously false reports that we're giving out Bugles at @seattlehempfest. We would never, ever do that." And KIRO 7 notes taxpayers don't need to frown: The chips were purchased by the private Seattle Police Foundation. (Another unusual pot story here, this one involving several pounds of marijuana seeds.)