Woody Harrelson Surprise Speaker at Seattle Hempfest - 150,000 Protest Marijuana Prohibition

Seattle, WA: The Seattle Hempfest, the world's largest marijuana legalization rally, was a smashing success again this year, with actor and hemp activist Woody Harrelson a surprise featured speaker.

A total crowd estimated at 150,000 attended the 2-day event, held on Saturday, August 18 and Sunday, August 19, 2001.

Harrelson, who took the main stage to speak at 4:20 pm on Sunday to chants from the crowd of "Woody, Woody," began by acknowledging the cultural significance of the time. "It's now officially 4:20," he said. "If you folks need to do something now, just go ahead."

He added, "I recently decided to stop smoking." When the groans from the crowd subsided, he finished by adding, "but I thought more about it and decided I didn't want to be a quitter!"

Harrelson, who has long advocated the use of industrial hemp, more recently has broadened his goals to include an end to marijuana prohibition altogether.   

www.seattlehempfest.com