They asked you to leave? WTF? The Stranger has to be the most pro-pot media in the fucking state. You guys more-or-less actively campaigned for this. And they kicked you out?

What a moron. They should have been begging you guys to cover it.

@1 It wasn't the folks who put on the show, rather the fella who runs the pot-friendly event center. Like I said, it was certainly an awkward moment—not atypical in the weed world—but other than that sudden finale, the event itself was good times.

Thank you for keeping us updated. However, considering how behind Washington is to Colorado I am having a really hard time getting excited. Isn't the earliest date for open recreational shops this June with the possibility of delays until June 2015?

Do you have Vogons running the implementation?

There was a personal emergency at the studio, privacy was requested. Please don't take it personally. Your presence was greatly appreciated.

If #5's story is verified, I think it would be worth updating the post to reflect that information.

@6: Agreed. There was no such emergency happening at the time, and Jeremy Cooper from Magical Butter mentioned no such situation when he asked me to leave the building. I've asked others who were there at the time, and nobody noticed anything that he (@5) claims was the reason he singled me out for eviction.

I've now heard from several people who have been kicked out of this new pot-friendly event center in Sodo by this same fellow. I wonder if each time there was a "personal emergency" happening for Mr. Cooper.

@7, thanks for your response.

@7. I don't know. It might be that "personal emergency" means "We want to get high and don't want people who might get us caught around."

Wow, really? You want validation of the emergency story in order for you to quit tossing insults. It was a guest with a medical emergency, Jeremy was showing respect for that person's request for privacy. Do some real research before you flush your journalism badge down the toilet.

@10 He could've indicated any such thing to me when he asked me to leave. Plus there was a room full of vendors and others still, and he didn't seem concerned about hurrying them out. I will try to do more research. So far I have heard a number of stories where Mr. Cooper kicked people out of the facility in an angry fit. He was certainly nice enough about it with me, but like I said, it was awkward—using the excuse of a medical emergency would've been much smoother.

Everyone was rushed out the door at the same time, right before the ambulance arrived. Your abrupt dismissal was a effort to insure there were no photos taken of the incident. I would hope that you could understand this discresson.

I will remain sceptical of your integrity as a reporter when you quote hearsay, assumptions, and pissy opinion while ignoring your resposnsability to find facts.

Mr. Cooper has shown nothing but generosity and professionalism the several times I've been to the MB studios.

@12 Were you there on Saturday? To be clear, I haven't quoted any hearsay, assumptions or pissy opinion. At your urging, I've been asking around, and I have heard numerous unfortunate stories from people directly involved those situations. I'm sure it's not what you want to hear—it's not what I want to hear either—but that doesn't automatically mean a handful of people with similarly negative stories are a bunch of coordinating liars.

Well, considering there was probably 100 million dollars worth of businesses in the room. No smoking or dabbing was allowed, and there were more suits in the room than white kids with dreads. So I guess this event wasn't for your audience. who's apparently more interested in scandal than supporting the community who are more passionate about your freedom to continue your sloggy blog, than they are about their own agenda.

Mr. Cooper is a good guy. Your information to the contrary is devisive.

I saw you at the event, not once did you ask why I was there or even what my product was about. And from your descriptions of the exhibitors, I'm guessing you were there for the dabs, but went home sober and feeling left out.

I dare you verify your sources and report the facts.

@15: Thanks for the info.

I hosted a Legal Cannabis Day celebration at Seattle Center and called 911 twice during the event (I learned that if you want Center security to disallow entrance to obviously-intoxicated people, you have to specifically instruct them to do so). The second time, I had to ask a group of straggling stoners to clear the premises. To do this, I thanked them for coming, calmly and honestly informed them that I had called in the medics to assist with a medical situation, and requested their help in clearing the room.

Contrast that to simply being told "we are closing up here," inquiring if I am being asked to leave, and being told, quite simply, "yes." I described it as an awkward stoner encounter, which I thought was fair given the information provided me. I hung outside the building conversing with pot people for another 15 minutes at least, and received no inclination that the medics had been called to the scene prior to that.

@16: I'm sorry I didn't talk to your business. I was trying to collect business cards from the remaining tables when I was asked to leave. I was there for about 90 minutes and spoke with WA Seed Bank, MPSI Security, Washington Bud Company, Green Thumb Logistics, Eden Labs, Dime Bag Scales, Vuber, Nana's Secret, Empower Oil, MJBA, and a few other folks. I never made it past the Vuber table, so missed half the room. I wasn't there for the dabs, and I didn't leave feeling sober despite your claims that marijuana consumption was strictly prohibited. Please, tell me about your product at ben@hemp.net.

Actually I'm okay not telling you about my business, you or your readers, at least not the negative commentators on this blog -- wouldn't understand what we do.

It would be the right thing about now to apologize for your missives about Mr Cooper.

BTW, what happens in the VIP room stays in the VIP room.

Apologize to Jeremy?
How long have you known him?
The Mad Viking, Jeremy Cooper has messes to clean up in the community. Big Messes. I would think twice before you defend him. What he has done to others he will and can do to you. Ben does not need to apologize for writing what he feels, it is his column. Jeremy has already burned bridges in the community and will continue to do so because that is just who he is. I hear Pete and Dave were not even at the event, which means they probably had enough. He is abusive and a liar and in it for himself, not you or what you are doing, and certainly not in it for the patients or even the community.