Marc Emery: Timeline of a Cannabis Warrior

420

Founder
Mar•tyr (mär'tər)
*One who chooses to suffer death rather than renounce devout principles.
*One who makes great sacrifices or suffers much in order to further a belief, cause, or principle.
*One who endures great suffering: a martyr to prohibition.
tr.v. -tyred, -tyr•ing, -tyrs.
To make a martyr of, especially to put to death for devotion to religious beliefs.
To inflict great pain on; torment.

War•ri•or (wôr'ē-ər, wŏr'-)
*One who is engaged in or experienced in battle.
*One who is engaged aggressively or energetically in an activity, cause, or conflict: neighborhood warriors fighting against developers.

I recently used Martyr to pay praise to the late great Jack Herer. It is my opinion that Marc Emery be placed in that same category, where it takes a true Warrior to fight the battle that these men have given their life to. These men have fought against a $1.6 billion dollar budget, ultimately giving their life to end prohibition.

Marc has devoted countless years of his life to the fight against prohibition and its political games. Not to forget the millions, yes people, millions of dollars given to cannabis activist foundations all around the world.

Marc has been persecuted and still stands strong in his beliefs and has helped to establish a movement that continues to gain support daily all around the world. In recent events Marc has continued to be persecuted and imprisoned, and still stands tall, rises to the occasion and abides by the laws that he is fighting to change.

While we puff on a glass pipe that’s ironically filled with a plant that can, and more than likely cost a man his life. Marc Emery will be getting out of a car. Marc glances over at his wife, embraces her, taking in a scent that will always be associated with a memory of her. At that point Marc and Jodie Emery gave each other a kiss on the lips and then a good bye.

May 10, 2010 would not be an ordinary day in the US; it won’t be one of the great moments that will forever be remembered. Nor will it be a great day in our nation’s history, instead it will be one that will be considered a “dark day” during this time in our nations history. It will be the day Marc Emery's bail conditions require that he turn himself in at 9am or rather when the Justice Minister makes a decision about his extradition.

The Path of a Warrior

Marc Scott Emery was born in London, Ontario. As a young man Marc had ambitions that eventually set a course for life as the “Prince of Pot”. At the young age of 9, Marc started a stamp business from home. As the years came and went, so did his business ventures. After going from comic books, to a used book store in just a few years, Marc found himself in a fight with the London Downtown Business Association. It was very apparent then that Marc Emery’s choices as a young boy were all part of his destiny, and had set the path to becoming a Great Leader and advocate for the decriminalization of Cannabis.

His later battles and achievements included; running an emergency garbage service during a municipal garbage strike, serving as the Freedom Party Action Director, and running for Canadian House of Commons.

Marc's’ activism in the fight against prohibition flourished as he gained knowledge of how politics’ truly worked. His early cannabis activism started to become more apparent over the years as Marc rented out then named London Regional Art & Historic Museum for his first pro-cannabis assembly. Not soon after he was convicted of selling cannabis related literature and how-to books on the growing & smoking marijuana. Still Marc continued to sell and distribute pro-marijuana literature and stay active in the fight against prohibition. At one point even inviting neighboring police into his shop to show them around, however at this point the police chose not to charge Emery. Unfortunately this wouldn’t last long. But still Marc strove on, and started what would later become a $5 million dollar a year business.

“Prince of Pot” seed bank?

In March of 1994 Marc moved to Vancouver, Canada which he would soon call home and even run for Mayor at one point.

On the 7th of July Marc opened a store appropriately named Hemp BC. This would be the jump off point for a whole industry that would be in the sales and distribution of marijuana paraphernalia and other cannabis related items. This industry would soon take over and Canadians all over the country would soon follow suite. That is, with the guidance and leadership of Marc Emery.

Toward the end of 1994 Marc Emery got the embargo on marijuana and drug related literature ban lifted. Following this, he started to sell Cannabis seeds, and later would begin the start of his magazine Cannabis Canada Magazine later fittingly named Cannabis Culture Magazine.

Marc Emery Direct Marijuana Seeds started in 1994 and catapulted his business and life into a legislative spotlight. In 1995 Marc’s seed company was on the front page of the Wall Street Journal. Soon after the article was released Marc’s store was raided by Vancouver Police. Emery was convicted and given a $2200 fine. No jail time was enforced what so ever. As time would go on Marc would continue his sales through print.

Marcs’ fight on prohibition gained more and more interest, so much so that he eventually expanded his store into a legal help centre and cannabis café. Marc drew so much attention at this point CNN featured him in an episode named “Canada Cannabis”.

In the episode the journalist dubbed Marc Emery the “Prince of Pot”. Once again, more media and international attention and once again, Canadian Police come raiding, this time pulling out a $1.6 million worth of merchandise including over 10,000 cannabis seeds. Marc was jailed, and once again no charges were filed.

Upon return he was banned from the centre his business was located. Marc sold the store to then manager, who was continually harassed and raided through to 1998.

At this same point Marc’s office was raided in April of 1998 and again in September. He was jailed then released the next day. Yet again, no charges were brought up. Meanwhile all this was stirring Vancouver’s very own mayor stated that Marc Emery “was going to be toast”. Sure enough the Canadian government along with the American Navy had a couple of under cover agents’ go into Marc's store and purchase marijuana, then proceed to smoke the cannabis in the shop. Another raid fallowed soon after. This is when Marc would bring his seed distribution to print and fight the war on prohibition via mail-order. 2 years later Pot-TV was established.

From 1995-2005 Marc Emery’s seed company paid virtually $600,000 in federal and provincial taxes. Despite the constant harassment from Canadian government, Marc continued to abide Canada’s laws and pay taxes.

The Prosecution Prosecuted in the US

Marc Emery boasted at one point that he was the financial backer for almost every “pro-pot” effort in North America along with many others across the globe. Marc claims to have helped cannabis initiatives get on the ballots in California, Nevada, Alaska and Arizona along with other countries around the globe. This started an onslaught of not only local media, but international attention as well.

In 2004 Marc was arrested for allegedly “passing a joint” resulting in his imprisonment in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Emery supporters held an ongoing vigil until Marc was released after serving 61 days in jail. This among other incidents drew the attention of US law enforcement, namely American DEA Administrator Karen Tandy. This is when the fight not only for his life, but the freedom and decriminalization of marijuana had just started.

On July 29, 2005 Marc Emery was arrested in Nova Scotia where his was presence at Hemp Fest encouraged the fight against prohibition. This is when American authorities had the audacity to charge Mark along with Gregory Keith William and Michelle Rainey-Fenkarek with “Conspiracy to distribute Marijuana, Marijuana Seeds” and “Conspiracy to engage in money laundering”. Despite all these offenses having taken place in Canada, local authorities had no interest in charging the three. Following these events US DEA Administration added fuel to the fire with this statement:

Today's DEA arrest of Marc Scott Emery, publisher of Cannabis Culture Magazine, and the founder of a marijuana legalization group -- is a significant blow not only to the marijuana trafficking trade in the U.S. and Canada, but also to the marijuana legalization movement.

His marijuana trade and propagandist marijuana magazine have generated nearly $5 million a year in profits that bolstered his trafficking efforts, but those have gone up in smoke today.
Emery and his organization had been designated as one of the Attorney General's most wanted international drug trafficking organizational targets -- one of only 46 in the world and the only one from Canada.

Hundreds of thousands of dollars of Emery's illicit profits are known to have been channeled to marijuana legalization groups active in the United States and Canada. Drug legalization lobbyists now have one less pot of money to rely on.



A $200 Fine

With this raid in 2005 where Canadian Police under the request of the United States Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), raided both BC Marijuana Bookstore and their headquarters in Vancouver, Canada. Marc would later would be released on $50,000 bail and was about to start a fight not only against his extradition. But a fight that would question the freedom of not only Canadians, but anyone who does anything that would go against the US DEA.

Ironically enough not all Canadian officials support the charges brought. Among the Canadian officials that support Emery is Libby Davies of the NDP, Ujjal Dosanjh of the Liberals and Scott Reid of the Conservatives.

Despite the laws of Canada stating clearly that the only charges to be brought up for the sales and distribution of cannabis seeds is a $200 fine. A hearing pertaining to the extradition of Marc Emery was scheduled with Justice Minister Rob Nicholson. At this hearing the Justice Minister was presented with a petition signed by more then 12,000 Canadian Citizens against the extradition into the US. Marc Emery and his 2 associates would eventually be brought up on charges that would face them with the possibility of life in prison for selling and shipping seeds to America.

Later Marc brought up a bargaining chip that would ultimately save the lives of both Gregory Keith Williams and Michelle Rainey-Fenkarek. This chip would entice the US into a deal that would clearly state that in exchange for Marc turning himself in for 5 year sentence to be served within both US and Canadian federal prisons; all charges on his two associates were to be dropped.

Unfortunately the deal wouldn’t last long.

The Canadian Conservative Government chose not to approve their side of the deal. However, as 2008 was drawing to a close an extradition hearing was scheduled for 2009. By September 28th of that year Marc was incarcerated. Then on November 18 2009 Marc would be released on bail following a 7 week trial.

In most recent events as stated at the beginning of this article Marc Emery handed himself over to Canadian authorities once again. All the while support was being shown for both Marc and the fight against prohibition with daily Vigils and rallies that would soon span across the globe. Most recently on Wednesday, May 12th a vigil started outside the North Fraser Pretrial where Marc Emery was being held prisoner. This was an on going 24/7 vigil which was scheduled to continue until Marc was sent to the U.S.

Happiness

On a personal note Marc Scott Emery and Jodie Giesz-Ramey were married on July 23, 2006. Jodie Emery works as editor of their Magazine as well as a political activist along side her husband Marc. Jodie ran as a candidate for the Green BC party in the May 2009 election placing third. Jodie most current contribution to the fight against prohibition has been protesting and petitioning to get Marc freed from his sentence and prosecution in the US.


Author: The Butcher
420 Magazine Staff Writer
 
Imagine for a moment you like beer. You REALLY like beer. You drink in moderation, hold a job, and support your family and are a productive member of society. You've never been accused of a crime, pay your taxes and are active in the social fabric of your community.

Then one day, (usually under cover of darkness at 3 am with overwhelming force with no regard for your family's safety but every consideration for theirs) the DEA blows your door down with guns blazing. Your family is terrorized, house is ransacked, they kill the family dog, then haul you off to federal prison.

Your crime... growing hopps... on your property to brew beer... But beer is legal here! you protest. Oh we know, but not in Saudi Arabia. But I never sold anything to Saudi Arabia! you protest. Then you're informed they initiated an undercover sting and had you ship hopps to Greece. Hopps is legal there! (15 states now if you're following along) You protest. Yes they say, but the person you shipped to is a Saudi resident using a false shipping address in Greece and really lives in Saudi Arabia. They insist we compromise U.S. sovereignty (which they will) and hold you for extradition to Saudi Arabia.

Sound impossible? Read the story of Marc Emery and learn the meaning of shame.

Every US citizen who reads this no longer has the excuse to keep their face in a bong and ignore reality.. I'm ashamed of how my country has abused its power and position to threaten, coerce, intimidate, and terrorize our political "Allies".

It's time those of us who still are free (for now) and acknowledge our governments abuse of power against the citizens Canada, as well as us. Clear your head, just for a moment, and do the responsible thing. Get active politically, national as well as locally! Read and then act to do the right thing. Write letters to state and federal officials to get Marc, a citizen of Canada, sent back home to his Country.

Please go to FREE MARC EMERY! | Cannabis Culture Magazine and get involved for Marc's release.

Cannabis legal in your state? Great! Fkin fantastic! Go to Marijuana Policy Project - Home and thank them as well. Then support them.
There is no precedent for kidnapping a citizen from another country and jailing them here. (Guantanamo excluded).

For the first time in the United States, the tide is BEGINNING to turn. IF! and only IF we continue to participate in this fight will we all be safe from paramilitary drug raids, imminent family and property harm, and criminal asset forfeiture laws in this country.

2012... Freedom? Unless we fight for it-
 
I give Marc credit for copping to the charges to let his partners go free. That is commendable. However, Marc is or was a millionaire for what he did and his own worst enemy to boot. He used free publicity through the legal system and that back fired on him. You roll the dice and see sometimes. I think he counted on Canada not extraditing him and I am very disappointed in Canada for caving into the USA that way. Do you think that the USA would ever hand over one of it's citizens to another country? Especially for something that is not even illegal here?
I stand up for Marc too, but I think he made a bad move and just has to deal with it now. There is nothing stopping any one of us from making big money from something that is illegal and taking our chances. Most of us realize the risk and opt out, or just have a sense of morals that don't allow us to break the law.
 
Great piece I look forward to a legal market. I hope you are doing ok Marc I too was in Federal prison and I know that they probably have you on a thing called " Diesel Therapy " it when they keep busing you around from prison to prison.
 
Every US citizen who reads this no longer has the excuse to keep their face in a bong and ignore reality.. I’m ashamed of how my country has abused its power and position to threaten, coerce, intimidate, and terrorize our political “Allies”.
 
:peace:If Marc hadn't rented a $1000 table at a speech by then drug czar Walters,and then harassed him unmercifully throughout the evening.Marc would probably still be in his shop on Hastings instead of rotting in a Georgia prison.Georgia is about as far from Vancouver as the American judicial retribution system can take him.His transfer to Canada was turned down.I think that surprised Marc,who doesn't quite understand just how personal Walters was willing to make this.Then there's that sticky little thing with the cannabis.
 
As an American, I can tell you without reserve, that I have tremendously more respect for Marc Emery than I do for our countries leaders (well, 99% of them anyway - President Obama included). It is a crime, as far as I'm concerned, that our Govt continues this witch-hunt; also known as marijuana prohibition. I hope I live to see the day when the big shots now in power that are hell bent on maintaining this prohibition see justice. To me, that means they would spend some time in prison themselves for having been a part of putting so many others there without good cause.
 
Marc Emory-( Ego-centric multi millionaire liar ) He"s crying all the way to his off-shore accounts that no government either Canadian or U.S. can touch. He is no pot crusader let alone a MMJ suffer it's all about money to him. He deserves what he got but lets not be stupid and naive and make a martyr out of a slick businessman that he for sure is. :goodluck: Marc we'll be placing our orders soon:popcorn::popcorn: RD :peace::peace::peace:
 
Marc Emory-( Ego-centric multi millionaire liar ) He"s crying all the way to his off-shore accounts that no government either Canadian or U.S. can touch. He is no pot crusader let alone a MMJ suffer it's all about money to him. He deserves what he got but lets not be stupid and naive and make a martyr out of a slick businessman that he for sure is. :goodluck: Marc we'll be placing our orders soon:popcorn::popcorn: RD :peace::peace::peace:
I sure hope you're full of it.I sent him some money for his extradition attempt which I was pretty sure was a waste of time.I take him at his word.He's getting by and that's all.
 
Yeah he went to prison because he'll be making money...

WTF, at least he has the balls to stand up against Right Wing Neo-Fasisct AmeriKKKan Corporations who made marijuana illegal to protect their business interests .

What do you do?

Marc Emory-( Ego-centric multi millionaire liar ) He"s crying all the way to his off-shore accounts that no government either Canadian or U.S. can touch. He is no pot crusader let alone a MMJ suffer it's all about money to him. He deserves what he got but lets not be stupid and naive and make a martyr out of a slick businessman that he for sure is. :goodluck: Marc we'll be placing our orders soon:popcorn::popcorn: RD :peace::peace::peace:
 
Yeah he went to prison because he'll be making money...

Very true. Government doesn't permit anything they can't benefit from.

WTF, at least he has the balls to stand up against Right Wing Neo-Fasisct AmeriKKKan Corporations who made marijuana illegal to protect their business interests .

What? You do realize that whether elected officials reside on the left or right side of the political game, they tell us what we want to hear but are beholden to those who finance their campaigns. International banking, international trade cartels, and the United Nations are guiding the Feds. The State, in many cases (I'll use California as an example) knows all their monopoly money will be withheld by the feds if they take a stand for the Tenth Amendment (States Rights). This is the destructive path of government growth. JFK helped pave the way when he lifted the ban on government unions. Since then the unions in government have gained excessive wealth off the backs of the taxpayer. They collective bargain among themselves for raises, pensions and top of the line health care. The working class taxpayer has no say while many of us have no health care or struggle to pay for it. Unions have long been categorized as maintaining leftist principles. How is that right wing, "neo-fascist", or anything like the KKK?

This article states:
"Today in America there are nearly twice as many people working for the government (22.5 million) than in all of manufacturing (11.5 million). This is an almost exact reversal of the situation in 1960, when there were 15 million workers in manufacturing and 8.7 million collecting a paycheck from the government."
Stephen Moore: We've Become a Nation of Takers, Not Makers - WSJ.com

Do you realize government does not produce anything? That's right. Governments are sustained by collecting taxes. If you're a farmer, construction worker, a manufacturer, a miner, or a commercial fisherman, you are paying government via taxation to create jobs for more people that will need increased taxation to sustain them. I get tired of these partisan zombies who watch MSNBC and Fox News and parrot the mantra of "it's the right wing Bible thumpers", or "it's the left wing" causing our problems and stealing our rights away from us. The government-media complex creates social arguments for all of us to revel in, while governments, racial victim groups, and international corporations are laughing all the way to the international bank. The next politician who wants your support, ask them,"What will you do to defend my Tenth Amendment rights as an American citizen?" Make them accountable. It is only until we raise hell over our Tenth Amendment rights (this is far beyond the desire to decriminalize Cannabis), that we can ever stop this Bureaucratic Dictatorship called the Federal Government.
 
What really got Marc in trouble with the US drug enforcement industry was the 5000 a plate dinner he attended with guests to listen to,and harass then drug scar William Waters.They made a real pest of themselves and,as Waters hasn't a leg to stand on when it comes down to science and real issues.Marc and friends made them(Waters and friends)look like fools.Waters had only one way to get back and being the megalomaniac he is,get back he must.So Marc asks for a transfer to serve his time in Canada.He is sent to Georgia.I know Waters is chuckling to himself thinking boy did I show him.Marc will probably do every minute of his five year sentence.He will do it well and try to make friends while he's there.I sent along a contribution to his defence fund when he was trying for the transfer.I knew it was a lost cause but what the hell?He would have done the same for me.We don't know each other.We only share a contempt for drug laws and the way they are applied.That's always been good enough for me.
 
I wonder where we can find updates on Marc's status. I would expect still 2 more weeks of red tape, but it'd be cool to be able to follow the story more closely. It's not the second coming, but he IS the prince.
 
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