It felt surreal watching Jim Pugel, the former chief of the Seattle Police Department, roll up his slacks to rub a pot- infused lotion on his knee as a pot vape pen dangled from my mouth. Twenty years ago, Pugel was arresting pot dealers. Today, he’s running for Seattle City Council and using THC-infused gel to alleviate lingering nerve pain from his recent bout with cancer.
Bizarre as it seems, a former police chief rubbing pot on his knees is a good microcosm of Seattle five years after pot legalization. It seems like every other adult has found a way to use pot, even people running for elected office. In an effort to better understand the 55 people running for city council seats in the August 6 primary election, we invited them to consume weed with us. Fuck voting for who you would want to get a beer with—which candidates would you share a joint with?
Five candidates attended: Jim Pugel (District 7), Logan Bowers (District 3), Kara Ceriello (District 6), Joey Massa (District 6), and Cathy Tuttle (District 4). Ethan Hunter, a 19-year-old running in District 4, tried to join in, but we told him he needed to grow up first. A few other candidates wanted to come but had legitimate excuses. Ami Nguyen (District 3) said she is not currently consuming pot because she’s pregnant. Chris Peguero (District 2) and Andrew Lewis (District 7) wanted to be there, but they are city employees and the city forbids pot use.
