Canada's 'Prince of Pot' Marc Emery

We cannot criminalize people for putting things in their mouths and breathing in air.

Legalizing Marijuanna vs U.S. War on Drugs

By Orato Staff April 4th, 2007 - 01:42 pm PT

Canada's 'Prince of Pot' Marc Emery faces an extradition hearing and a possible life sentence. His crime? Selling cannabis seeds. The American Drug Enforcement Administration has dubbed him a 'drug trafficking kingpin,' but Emery says he's just an activist. He's been arrested 22 times, jailed 17 times in 8 of 10 provinces, raided 6 times and had a million dollars worth of his assets taken. All those tumbles with the law have made him a fearless crusader. If it were up to him, marijuana would be legalized.

I started smoking pot when I was 22 years old. Since then I've learned a lot about marijuana. I've been an advocate willing to go to jail since 1990, when Canada passed a law banning all videos and literature about marijuana, pulling High Times Magazine and enforcing other sanctions.

I'm doing the same thing I've always done, except selling seeds. We publish Cannabis Culture Magazine, have an Internet broadcasting company called Pot.tv, have the Vapor Lounge and the BC Marijuana Party with over 120 candidates in the last two elections. I ran for mayor as a Marijuana Party candidate - I've run for office 10 times since 1980.

Extradition to the U.S.

According to the DEA, I'm the world's largest marijuana producer. I have a hearing on May 28, which will determine if I get extradited to the United States. Any Canadian can be apprehended by American law enforcement, even for things that happened in Canada. If one person in Canada sells a gram bag of marijuana to an American across the border, they theoretically become part of a conspiracy to export drugs.

I heckled Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy John Walters when he came here November 2002 to speak to the Board of Trade about marijuana legalization and safe injection sites for heroin users. He said if we legalized pot, there'd be hell to pay. Three days later, the Vancouver Police Department launched an investigation into my activities, which in August 2002 was sent to the District Attorney. Of course he declined to prosecute. The police, in their frustration, handed the file over to the DEA in October 2003, and by May 2005, they'd sworn an indictment against me in Seattle.

I'm facing possible life in prison. I'm 50 years old. They'll probably sentence me to 150 years. Supposedly I'm the number one drug trafficking kingpin in North America and among the top 50 organized crime gangs in the whole world. Everyone in my hometown of London, Ontario thinks it's hilarious: "Marc? The guy who ran the bookstore for 17 years?"

When the DEA raided my property, they didn't find any drugs. They found no money and no guns. I had $12 in my bank account. If Americans hear about this, they'll all move to Canada.

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Comments

 
Posted 9/04/2007 at 5:56pm Robyn Williams

Marc - personally, I'm glad the legalization movement has such a strong voice in you. I do think that marijuana is potentially harmful, in the hands of the wrong person who needs to numb out for whatever reason, but the same is true for alcohol, which is legal and much more obviously harmful. I wonder how many DEA agents drink martinis after work...

It's obvious to me it's not a criminal issue, but rather one that should be dealt with on a personal level. Good luck May 28.

Posted 9/11/2007 at 5:25pm Margaret Holborow

What can I say Marc,

you have chosen a tough road and an uphill battle but someones got to do it and stand up and say what you are saying.

Marijuana is an invaluable Herb and a multifunctional plant. The value of the plant in medicine, clothing and textiles as well as paper is priceless.

What right has any Government got to allow me to Ingest tobacco, poisonous alcohol but then judge me and refuse me access to Marijuana, which is a natural herb.

Posted 9/11/2007 at 5:28pm Margaret Holborow

In fantastic news this week for the Marijuana movement worldwide the Netherlands Government has opened up channels and applied to have Marijuana registered as a medicine to allow further research and studies into the herbs benefit in medicine.

Posted 11/02/2008 at 11:15am

I don't see how the DEA can say he is a drug king pin when recently in Los Angeles California they setup a cannabis vending machine. Does that make the county a dealer or whoever gave the go a head for that machine a drug dealer? What about the morphine used in hospitals to treat patients in severe pain? Drug rehab clinics are not full of people who smoke marijuana. But rather addicts who use meth, heroine, cocaine, and other "hard drugs". I think thats the term for those drugs in Amsterdam and the Netherlands. Here's a faq on drug rehab treatment with more information about patients. I don't think there have been any cases of people over dosing on marijuana, the Canadians probably want to legalize it across the country but not with the DEA breathing down their necks.

Posted 1/09/2008 at 12:58am

Mr. Emery's next extradition hearing is schedueled for February, 2009. With the upcoming federal election here in Canada. NOW is the time to make your voice heard:

Readers can sign an online petition against Marc Emery's extradition at www.petitiononline.com/.../petition.html or they can download a paper copy by Googling "petition opposition extradition marc emery" and selecting the link.

Posted 1/09/2008 at 3:37pm

This issue is no longer about making pot legal. It's about something MUCH larger- it's about canadian soverignty. Read this if you're uncertain:

(http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/story.html?id=e343fa43-da3c-4864-a3fd-999a218650b0&k=80077)

Mr. Emery's next extradition hearing is schedueled for February, 2009. With the upcoming federal election here in Canada. NOW is the time to make your voice heard:

Readers can sign an online petition against Marc Emery's extradition at
http://www.petitiononline.com/Emery/petition.html or they can download a paper copy by Googling "petition opposition extradition marc emery" and selecting the link.

Posted 23/10/2008 at 6:26pm

I agree with this brave man, marijuana is not as harmful as other products, and with those products being banned in some way everyday smokers need something good to hold on to. Anyone who abuses the drug can go to a drug rehab center, just like people who abuse alcohol will go on alcohol rehabilitation programs. I don’t understand why some people are so against this legalization.

Posted 15/12/2008 at 8:10am

Great article man! Keep it up!

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juile

arizona drug rehab

Posted 16/12/2008 at 6:13pm

Krieger suffers from multiple sclerosis and is one of the only people in Canada allowed to cultivate and possess cannabis to alleviate his pain. But the problem with his constitutional exemption, he says, is that he can't find any home insurance or get a mortgage because companies are afraid he will burn his house down with his marijuana-growing equipment.
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Angelinjones
arkansas drug rehab


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