Pubdate: Sun, 29 Jan 2006
Source: Toronto Star (CN ON)
Copyright: 2006 The Toronto Star
Contact:  http://www.thestar.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/456
Author: Debra Black
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?196 (Emery, Marc)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?199 (Mandatory Minimum Sentencing)

TORY WIN HAS 'KING OF POT' WORRYING ABOUT HIS FATE

DEBRA BLACK

Marc Emery, described as the "King of Pot," knows no fear when it 
comes to working on behalf of the regulated and licensed sale of marijuana.

But that cause may have gone up in smoke with the election of Stephen 
Harper and the Conservative Party, whose federal election platform 
called for mandatory minimum jail time and large fines for serious 
drug offenders.

"Mr. Harper has promised to bring in mandatory sentencing for people 
selling and growing marijuana," said Emery, founder of the B.C. 
Marijuana Party, who sells marijuana seeds from his Vancouver store 
and over the Internet. He hopes that any such move by Harper would be 
voted down.

Emery, 47, in Toronto yesterday at a demonstration outside the U.S. 
consulate, said he is worried about his fate. He faces extradition 
charges by the U.S. in the B.C. Supreme Court resulting from the sale 
of marijuana seeds online, which is legal in Canada.

If the court agrees the U.S. has the right to extradite Emery, the 
case will go to the new Tory justice minister. Emery believes the 
minister will send him to the U.S., where he has been charged with 
conspiring to manufacture and distribute marijuana seeds and to 
engage in money laundering.

"The DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency) called me 'the number one drug 
trafficking kingpin in Canada,'" Emery said. If he's convicted, the 
penalty could be steep. "I'm looking at 30 to 35 years."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom