I-502 opponent dressed as state trooper lights 2-pound joint, fools Internet



SEATTLE -- A medical marijuana activist and outspoken opponent of I-502 has turned to crafty tricks to help prove a point, this time fooling popular Internet site Gawker.com.

Steve Sarich, the executive director of the Cannabis Action Coalition, has long opposed the recent legalization of recreational marijuana, saying a similar tax system for medical marijuana could undercut the tax-free outlet, leading to over-regulation of medical pot.

"They can barely afford their medication now," Sarich said earlier this year. "Why in the world would we want to tax it on top of that?"

He also opposed the law because, he says, strict DUI regulations could stifle medical users' ability to take their medicine.



Sarich, in an effort to prove a point perhaps, recently pulled a stunt that is garnering some attention. He attended last weekend's Harvest Festival in Bow, Wash., an event meant to celebrate the culture of cannabis. Video footage from the event captured Sarich, dressed in a very realistic Washington State Patrol Trooper uniform, assisting attendees light a 2-pound spliff. Popular sites such as Gawker.com picked the video, claiming cops lighting joints is the future.

However, Sarich does not work in law enforcement. And while it is unknown why he posed as one at the popular festival, we could only speculate he's getting the publicity he desires.

Q13 FOX News is reaching out to Sarich for comment. Tune into Q13 FOX News at 4 and 5 p.m. for more.