Pubdate: Mon, 18 Aug 2014
Source: Metro (Vancouver, CN BC)
Copyright: 2014 Metro Canada
Contact:  http://www.metronews.ca/vancouver
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3775
Author: Nick Wells
Page: A1

EMERY WELCOMED BACK LIKE ROYALTY

Downtown rally. 'Prince of Pot' says U.S. jail term hasn't deterred 
him from continuing the fight for marijuana legalization

The Prince is officially home.

Marc Emery, B.C.'s infamous "Prince of Pot," was welcomed by hundreds 
at a downtown rally when he returned to Vancouver Sunday afternoon, 
vowing to pick up where he left off after serving time on 
drug-related charges in the United States.

"It's all kind of dreamlike. Vancouver has changed dramatically.... 
The legalization landscape itself has changed dramatically," he said 
upon his arrival at the Vancouver International Airport.

Emery was arrested by Canadian police and charged in the United 
States with conspiracy to distribute marijuana, conspiracy to 
distribute marijuana seeds and conspiracy to engage in money laundering.

He later pleaded guilty to one charge of drug distribution and was 
sentenced to five years in U.S. jail in September 2010. He was 
released on Aug. 12 as a result of good behaviour.

Emery says he's willing to be arrested again to reinforce his message 
of ending the prohibition on marijuana.

"I intend to hit the ground running. Oct. 19 (2015) is legalization 
day - everybody just has to show up for it," he said, referring to 
the date of the next federal election.

Emery supports the Liberal party for its stance on legalizing marijuana.

He plans to create a dedicated media campaign to raise awareness. 
"I'm going to point out why everyone is going to benefit from a legal 
environment."

One downside to his incarceration is he is banned from travelling to 
the U.S., which he says is "disappointing."

But he couldn't have been disappointed by the enthusiastic crowd that 
welcomed him home at a rally in Victory Square, with about 200 people 
packing the park to catch a glimpse of him.

Megan McRae and Liz Turner said they had been waiting to see Emery 
since they heard he was coming home.

McRae works at the B.C. Marijuana Party lounge, technically making 
Emery her boss, though she's never met him.

Turner first heard of Emery when she was growing up in Calgary.

"I was inspired by Marc to move out here," Turner said. Emery's 
activism emboldened her to do more research about the health impacts 
of cannabis and become involved in the legalization movement.

Speaking at the rally, Emery urged attendees to go out and vote for 
the federal Liberal party, mentioning and supporting his wife's 
possible candidacy for the Vancouver-East riding.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom