A Bremerton man is fuming after being kicked off and banned from riding Kitsap Transit for six months because of his smell.
Not because of body odor, but rather, because of the overwhelming smell of marijuana.
Matthew Little is even banned from standing at bus stops.
According to Kitsap Transit, passengers can be banned for reeking of cat urine, human feces, bad body odor, among other bad smells.
They are warned at least three times.
So far this year, Little is the only passenger banned because of hygiene.
Little isn't shy about his affinity for marijuana.
"Never ashamed of any of it," he said while showing off art work, books and his vest adorned with marijuana leaves.
Little is a well-known medical marijuana activist and user.
“Too bad you don't have smell-a-vision,” he said opening a jar containing marijuana.
But it's that very aroma that's causing a stink for Kitsap Transit.
“From time to time, I smell like I just smoked some marijuana probably because I just did," he admitted.
Kitsap Transit accused Little of emitting an odor on busses that “unreasonably disturbs others,” and has banned Little for six months.
"Out of the blue, I'm kicked off your busses for six months? How do I get to my doctor's,” he asked.
Transit says after at least four documented complaints, they banned Little for “carrying the odor of marijuana on the bus, clothes, on his person,” according to a notice of exclusion sent to Little.
Transit says the smell was so bad, “the driver began to choke and had to cover her nose.”
We requested surveillance video, but Transit says their older buses, including that one, are not equipped with cameras yet.
Transit refused repeated requests for an on-camera interview, including with the bus driver and sent statements saying in part:
Little “chose to ignore repeated warnings that violating our rules of conduct would result in his exclusion.”
Transit then sent KIRO 7 Little's second notice of exclusion for allegedly verbally abusing a bus driver this month.
Little claims he never cursed at the driver.
Transit says he’s been temporarily banned before for breaking code of conduct rules.
When asked what he thinks he smells like during an interview with KIRO 7 News, Little responded: “Ganga or Karl Lagerfeld."
KIRO 7 read through Transit's 2013 Code of Conduct.
There is no mention of marijuana or its smell at all, even though medical and recreational marijuana is legal.
"I think it needs to be revisited," said Little.
Transit’s spokesman says he’s not aware of any plan to revise the code of conduct at this time.
Kitsap Transit insists they are ‘not singling out marijuana odor, but when it makes customers or drivers physically ill it's not acceptable.’
Little is appealing the ban.
Cox Media Group
