Pubdate: Fri, 11 Jan 2008
Source: National Post (Canada)
Copyright: 2008 Southam Inc.
Contact:  http://www.nationalpost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/286
Author: Susan Martinuk, National Post
Note: Susan Martinuk is a Vancouver columnist.
Referenced: Karen Selick's column 
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v08/n004/a01.html
Referenced: Colby Cosh's column 
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v08/n007/a07.html
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/opinion.htm (Opinion)

HARDLY A PRINCE

Marc Emery Peddles a Dangerous Drug and Flouts American Laws. Why 
Should Ottawa Protect Him?

Two recent National Post columns have called for Canadians to support 
a drug dealer named Marc Emery. Widely known as Canada's "Prince of 
Pot," he has openly sold marijuana seeds over the Internet for years. 
The act is illegal in Canada, the United States and most other 
nations, but a decade of laissez-faire drug enforcement and 
enlightened chatter about legalization have kept muddled Canadian 
authorities from taking any meaningful action against him.

In 2005, U.S. prosecutors charged Emery with conspiracy to 
manufacture and distribute marijuana, and conspiring to launder 
money. The only thing currently standing between Emery and his date 
with the American judicial system is an extradition hearing, set to 
begin on Jan. 21.

In "An open letter to Justice Minister Rob Nicholson," published in 
these pages on Jan. 2, lawyer Karen Selick asked Nicholson to refuse 
to surrender Emery. Why? Because he is a "Canadian hero" who acted 
openly, paid income tax and sold medical marijuana to the sick. (Can 
you imagine if we applied similar principles to all criminal acts?)

Two days later, National Post columnist Colby Cosh argued that 
surrendering Emery would be a blow to Canada's national sovereignty. 
Why? Because Canadian authorities have never charged Emery and, if 
the positions were reversed, the Americans would "raise hell about 
foreigners telling them how to run their country."

Frankly, this case isn't that important -- or that complicated. 
Emery's activities violate U.S. law, Canada has an extradition treaty 
with the United States, and our government has an obligation to 
honour its terms. There is no political issue; no issue of national 
sovereignty. The only fact that counts is that Emery repeatedly 
violated American law, and did so deliberately.

In a Jan. 30, 2006, message, Emery outlined his calculated plan of 
"purposeful lawbreaking." On March 3, 2006, he wrote of his initial 
post-arrest thought that every seed sold and every arrest was "all 
for this moment in time." He bragged to The New York Times that he's 
sold more marijuana seeds than anyone outside of the Netherlands, 
claiming his "master plan" is to produce so much marijuana that no 
government could eradicate or control it.

If his entire career as a marijuana vendor has been geared for this 
moment, then I say we let him have it.

Emery's success in Canada stems first from a decade of going soft on 
drugs. Wander through Vancouver's Downtown Eastside to see where 
those policies have gotten us, and it's clear the approach has been 
dead-wrong. Free drugs, free drug paraphernalia and a safe place to 
inject have only kept addicts addicted.

Talk of legalizing marijuana has sold Canadians the mistaken notion 
that marijuana is "a relatively harmless substance" only used by 
responsible adults to relax on the weekend. But a September, 2007, 
report revealed that pot smoking now exceeds cigarette smoking among 
Canada's youth. Further, 10% of young people have a marijuana addiction.

In 2007, Canada was reported to have the highest rate of marijuana 
usage (four times the world average) of any industrialized country. 
When the "industrialized nation" caveat is removed, we rank fifth in the world.

These statistics suggest Canada is on a dangerous path, as research 
increasingly shows that marijuana isn't harmless. It's addictive (in 
the Netherlands, 27% of those seeking treatment for drug abuse are 
marijuana users); adolescents are three times more likely than adults 
to develop dependency and are at increased risk for depression and 
suicide; and it's a gateway drug (users are 26 times more likely to 
use other drugs).

A recent article in the British medical journal The Lancet suggests 
marijuana increases the likelihood of psychosis by as much as 40%. In 
Britain, 80% of those admitted to a London hospital with a first 
episode of psychosis were marijuana users. Another study showed that 
75%-80% of individuals with schizophrenia were habitual cannabis 
users during their teens.

Marc Emery isn't a hero, he's a drug dealer. There isn't much of a 
case to support government intervention in his extradition hearings, 
but there's plenty of evidence to show why his activities are far 
from harmless.
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake