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Seattle City Attorney Apologizes for Taking Pot to Work

While Washington's state marijuana law has changed, Seattle's drug-free workplace policy hasn't, City Attorney Pete Holmes acknowledges.
IMAGE: Seattle City Attorney Pete Holmes buying marijuana legally Tuesday at Cannabis City in Seattle.
City Attorney Pete Holmes buying marijuana legally Tuesday at Cannabis City in Seattle.Seattle City Attorney's Office

Seattle City Attorney Pete Holmes, one of the biggest backers of Washington's legal marijuana initiative, apologized Friday for taking his legally bought pot to the office — and thereby violating the city's drug-free workplace policy.

Holmes, who helped sponsor Initiative 502, which made Washington the second state to legalize sales of small amounts of recreational marijuana, showed up at Seattle's only legal pot store Tuesday to be one of the first Seattleites to make a purchase. But while the marijuana law has changed, "the workplace rule has not changed," Holmes said in a statement Friday. After discussions with the city's personnel department, he said, "I have volunteered to donate $3,000 to the Downtown Emergency Service Center. I apologize to my employees, all city employees and to the public."

IMAGE: Seattle City Attorney Pete Holmes buying marijuana legally Tuesday at Cannabis City in Seattle.
City Attorney Pete Holmes buying marijuana legally Tuesday at Cannabis City in Seattle.Seattle City Attorney's Office

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