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Vancouver Marijuana Activist Marc Emery Extradited to the US
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by Barry ORegan | March 20, 2010 at 05:47 am
730 views | 20 Recommendations | 9 comments
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Marc Emery, marijuana activist, and long a thorn in the side of the U.S. war on drugs is facing extradition to the United States on drug charges.
Three politicians from Liberal, NDP and Conservative parties are looking to block the extradition of Emery to the United States. Emery, if extradited to the United States, is looking at five years for the offense.
Recent Canadian Drug Rulings
Last week Prime Minister Stephen Harper said "the status quo stands" with regard to decriminalizing marijuana.
British Columbia Supreme court judge Peter Leask last week also went against the recommendations of his own Crown attorneys for 16 and 14-year sentences respectively for two hard ore methamphetamine and cocaine dealers. Leask instead instituted 14-month sentences. He argued this was ample prison time and a strong deterrent for the two accused members of the Hells Angels.
Mare Emery's History of Marijuana Protest
Emery got his start in the mail order business as a child buying and selling stamps and comic books before moving on to marijuana and related paraphernalia. Emery and his mail order marijuana seed business serviced U.S customers looking to grow their own.
Emery's Vancouver Cannabis Cafe (where customers smoke dope on the premises a la Amsterdam) and various political causes have kept him busy. He has run for political office and won a Ontario court challenge to allow drug-related literature to be published, including the newspaper High Times.
The Prince of Pot has been under investigation by US government agents, but Vancouver police cleared out his marijuana and drug paraphernalia, fined him, but never charged him. He paid provincial and federal sales taxes and otherwise adhered to Canadian law.
Emery, unfazed by fines and the loss of over 1.5 million dollars of marijuana and associated drug paraphernalia seized by police, carried on until 2005 when he was detained and arrested for selling illegal drugs to U.S. customers while using Canada as a safe haven.
His current extradition orders may end in legal face-off between the two countries and should decide Emery's case once and for all.
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Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (9)
at 18:57 on March 20th, 2010
Funny how the Hell's Angels seem to get more lenient sentences than other criminals convicted of similar offences. Better lawyers or is there something else going on? Hmmmm.....
at 03:14 on March 21st, 2010
I am almost certain something else is going on! Thanks Ray, when I say something else going on, I am sure you and I are on the same track of thinking.
at 09:17 on March 21st, 2010
As I understand it, what Marc Emery engaged in was legal in Canada, but not in a foreign country - U.S. If he can be prosecuted for carrying out a legal activity in Canada from Canada does this not set a precedent for other actions against Canadians. How about extraditing Canadians to Chinese prisons for sending images of the Dali Lama to China? This case is not about crime, it's really about sovereignty.
at 10:38 on March 22nd, 2010
Heroin is legal in Switzerland. Would you feel the same way about a Swiss drug dealer mailing heroin to Canada for use in the Canada? Would you argue that he/she should not be subjected to criminal prosecution in the Canada?
at 17:47 on March 30th, 2010
Apples and oranges! How can you compare Heroin and marijuana? A seed in its self is harmless, it's up to the person buying to cultivate the seed and to obey the laws where they are. Really the most harmful thing out of all this is damage caused by DEA storming thru peoples houses and destroying people's lives over something that's proven to have medicinal properties...
at 20:07 on April 3rd, 2010
Poppy is just a seed, too. The only relevant fact is that he knew he was breaking the law, he chose to take the risk of prosecution and he made a ton of money doing it. Cry me a river, Marc!
at 01:24 on March 31st, 2010
when you see the damage it is doing to our youth & to their parents when they go onto harder drugs.I am agaisnt all drugs. We have enough trouble with everyhting now & the biggest problem is too many on drugs. Should be longer & harsher sentencing
at 12:45 on May 13th, 2010
What destruction? Potheads just sit around and eat and play video games. Pot causes a lot less negative family impact than alcohol. Legalize it, tax it and regulate the sale and production and we will all be better served than the current underground system.
at 02:26 on May 11th, 2010
the thing is, all this damage you mention is happening while pot is banned. its safer than alcohol, yet they make a law so it sold on the street by pushers of other things.it will never go away or even reduce because it is ALL so lucrative.are you really wanting to now pay more taxes to inprison the 40 percent of people that use pot? the current punishments still are not enough to stop drugs, 40 percent will break the law and then some of them will then go on to harder things. its really no wonder.any vote against pot ensures people keep mentioning heroin when the subject comes up.it works against what we really want for our people.