Seattle Police Officers Will Give Out Doritos With Info On New Pot Law

As a group, I have no problem with potheads. They might not be the most productive bunch, but they’re generally harmless, the kind people who know great places for dessert and are particularly good at quoting movies. On the downside, however, they’re not usually the best listeners, nor do they have the strongest attention to detail. That’s why it’s better to give them instructions in writing. If said instructions are attached to a delicious snack, all the better. That seems to be the philosophy behind the Seattle Police Department’s newest initiative. Entitled Operation Orange Fingers, it involves one thousand bags of Doritos and a well placed label.

According to The Seattle Times, Operation Orange Fingers will take place on Saturday at Seattle’s famed Hempfest. Officers will walk around and distribute 1,000 bags of Doritos. Each will contain a sticker on the outside advising marijuana enthusiasts to hit up the department website’s official FAQ section on the new weed laws, hilariously titled Marijwhatnow?. I haven’t the slightest idea how many of the 1,000 lucky recipients will actually do as prompted, but I can tell you the website is actually fascinating. It’s informative, straight ahead, extremely detailed and very willing to admit how vague and complicated the entire matter is when it comes to the Federal Government and where residents will actually get the weed they’re now allowed to consume in the privacy of their own homes.

At its core, Initiative 502 allows residents of Washington to possess up to one ounce of marijuana for personal use starting on December 6. They’re not allowed to smoke it in public, but at least in Seattle, officers have already said they won’t go out of their way to bust people, unless it’s in an area where all smoking is prohibited or children are around or it’s stupidly blatant. Anyone under the age of twenty-one will be given a ticket if they’re caught smoking and driving under the influence is obviously illegal and a really poor, selfish idea.

The move comes in the wake of many other cities easing the penalties on weed smokers. Because of Federal regulations and complicated questions related to distribution, it will likely be years before the gray areas are sorted out. Regardless, however, all of these new regulations and adjustment periods should be considered steps in the right direction.

Whether you smoke marijuana regularly, occasionally or completely avoid it, I think all of us can agree there are far better things for police officers to do than bust high twenty-five-year-olds walking to the grocery store to stock up on newly re-released Twinkies. Effectively running a society involves devoting resources to the issues most pressing, and people taking a few hits usually present as much of an issue as people having a glass of wine with dinner.