Pot plants, hash cakes and jars of marijuana: Hundreds roll up for first cannabis farmers market
There were lots of plants and the odd home-made cake. But this farmers market would not have been to everyone's tastes.
In fact it only had one item for sale - medicinal marijuana.
But for the 600 or so 'patients' who turned out for the first Cannabis Farmers Market in Seattle on Sunday, it was something of a coup.
Doctor's orders: Ken Bell fishes out some medical marijuana buds for a patient during the first ever cannabis farmers market in Seattle
With a valid ID and the correct medical papers they could purchase as much marijuana as they required.
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The herb, even taken for medicinal purposes, is not legal in the Washington state but a law passed in 1998 offers a 'medical marijuana defence' to those who have been charged with pot possession, as long as they were taking the drug for health purposes.
Under current law certain medical practitioners can also recommend medical marijuana for a variety of illnesses including cancer, HIV and anorexia however.
Grow your own: Young marijuana plants were just one of many cannabis-related products that patients could purchase
Strains: Grams of weird and wonderful looking buds boasting names such as 'Dark Vader' and 'Kungfoo Goo' went for around $10 to $12 a gram
In Seattle arresting people for personal use of marijuana was listed as the lowest priority for the city's police in 2003.
Despite all this the community in Washington has so far remained underground unlike in California and Colorado where there has been an explosion of places to purchase the drug.
Just last week MailOnline reported We-Grow, a 10,000 square foot store containing equipment to grow marijuana and marijuana-related products, was due to open in Sacramento, California.
Dispensaries: The Washington medical marijuana community have so far kept themselves underground but clinics like this one in Venice Beach, Los Angeles, are widespread in California
Grams of weird and wonderful looking buds boasting names such as 'Dark Vader' and 'Kungfoo Goo' were going for around $10 to $12 a gram at the Seattle market.
MEDICAL MARIJUANA
Sixteen states have legalised medical marijuana but only seven utilise dispensaries to sell the drug.
Although widely disputed the beneficial effects of cannabis on certain illnesses including cancer, Aids, MS and glaucoma are widely documented.
The drug can be smoked, drunk, eaten and taken in capsules.
Synthetic forms are also available as prescription drugs called Marinol and Cesamet in the U.S. and Canada.
California's medical marijuana industry took in about $2 billion a year and generated $100million in state sales taxes during 2008
All ages of people turned out for the event, including John Muise.
He told CNN: 'I am actually standing upright because of cannabis, there's nothing else I found that would help me with chronic pain issues.
'I couldn't even explain how my life would be if I didn't have cannabis. I would probably be addicted to opiates and in a wheelchair.'
Ken Bell, proprietor of stall Ken's Medicine Bowl and a patient himself, said he was looking forward to the day when marijuana was legal.
'A lot of people think it's just a bunch of guys sitting around getting stoned whereas both my patients are in their 60s. They're using it for the pain-killing effect.'
Founder of the market Jeremy Miller said he plans to hold the market in Seattle twice next month and in Tacoma and Olympia on the other weekends.
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