One of the world’s leading cannabis legalisation campaigners, a magazine publisher known as the ”Prince of Pot”, faces an extradition hearing on Friday in Vancouver as United States drugs agencies seek to put him on trial in the US. His supporters claim the move is a first step by US authorities to prosecute foreigners who challenge the US laws on cannabis.
Marc Emery, publisher of Cannabis Culture, faces charges of trafficking in marijuana seeds and money laundering. His supporters have been demonstrating outside Canadian embassies in more than 30 countries during the past week to urge Canada’s authorities not to yield to pressure from the US and hand him over, arguing he could face a lifetime in prison if they did so.
A former bookseller, Emery became a cannabis campaigner 15 years ago, angered by a ban on selling publications that promoted cannabis use. He has since become one of the best-known figures in the cannabis debate worldwide and operates the small television station Pot-TV. His magazine, Cannabis Culture, founded in 1994, promotes the sale of marijuana seeds.
Emery has paid C$578 000 in personal taxes between 1999 to 2005 on income that was explicitly from the sale of such seeds. He describes himself on his tax returns as a marijuana seed vendor and sends a free copy of his magazine to every Canadian MP.
The main charges he would face in the US are for selling the seeds — considered international drug trafficking. Money laundering charges might be levelled because the profits he makes from the sales are used to promote the legalisation of cannabis.
”I have always been very, very transparent in the way I have conducted a career,” Emery said in a message posted about his arrest on his website. ”I have often described [what I do] as ‘revolutionary retail’ or ‘capitalist activism’.” He suspected the US authorities wanted to make an example of him.
”If I were to be extradited and prosecuted in the US, [I would face] probably life imprisonment,” he said. ”Under ‘Drug Kingpin’ legislation, selling over 60 000 seeds qualifies for the death penalty. I would be the first person under this recent law who could qualify to be executed for the activity I have clearly done with the tacit approval of everyone in Canada.”
When the US drug enforcement administration undercover agent ”tried to get me to sell her 10lbs of pot over the phone, I refused and told her that I always assumed my cell phone was monitored, so how could she be so foolish and naive. When she asked again at a later time, I lectured her at length. Not only did I not sell pot, but she was foolish to even think about importing pot to the USA.”
The US authorities say that the action is a joint venture with the Canadians. – Guardian Unlimited Â