Abstract:
Cannabis activists in Washington have enjoyed significant successes across the state. In both urban and rural political arenas, there were successes and defeats for the cannabis movement. While Seattle is a shining example of urban success for the cannabis movement, among the rural successes in 2011 was Ellensburg, Washington. Across the Manashtash, lies Yakima, a community that would become a political defeat for the cannabis movement. Using the results from the 2012 elections, the initiative campaigns of Sensible Washington and New Approach Washington, as well as observations and discussions conducted with activists at festivals such as Seattle Hempfest, Tacoma Hempfest, and Portland Hempstalk, this research points to factors that influenced the political different outcomes across Washington state and will show where centers of political support for cannabis lie within the state.
Findings presented at the 2013 Symposium Of University Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE) at Central Washington University (CWU). Research stipend and expenses paid by McNair Scholars Program.
