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." - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom