The Urbanite – Jon Liedtke – Aug. 28, 2014
EDITOR’S NOTE: Marc Emery has been accused of multiple counts of sexual assault on then underage girls that had not come to light when this piece was published.
- “Prince of Pot” Marc Emery’s sexual misconduct was an open secret in cannabis circles – NOW Magazine (nowtoronto.com)
- How ‘Prince Of Pot’ Marc Emery Used His Cult Status to Create a Toxic Work Culture for Women (vice.com)
- The ‘Prince of Pot’ Marc Emery is allegedly a creep – Vancouver Is Awesome
Freed from U.S. prison, Marc Emery lands in Windsor with plans for legalization
Pot smokers, activists and media thronged Marc Emery, aka the Prince of Pot, when he stepped foot on Canadian soil for the first time this month since he was extradited to the United States for selling marijuana seeds. Now that he’s free, the Machiavellian Prince plans to undermine the Canadian government again to push marijuana legalization.
“We are going to go all in and put our faith in the Liberal Party of Canada in the next election because I do believe they are sincere that they will legalize marijuana,” said Marc, who will be touring the county with his wife, Jodie, who is seeking the nomination of the Vancouver East Liberals. “I want to remind that legalize means no one ever goes to jail for marijuana.”
Marc has been arrested 28 times for marijuana civil disobedience in seven out of 10 provinces, jailed 23 times, and bragged he “tried many times in Ontario, but I have not been arrested … I tried to get arrested here in Windsor smoking in front of the police department.”
“We still have people … being arrested every year in Canada. We still have black market gangs that to some degree control the trade and we still have people paying way too much for marijuana. So help me God, we are going to bury this prohibition next year in this federal election.”
Marc explained that while it’s been a long road to be able to say “next year we can say we can make marijuana legal,” there needs to be a change in marijuana culture.
“I know it’s a nice party vibe, every day there’s a 4-20 and every day there’s an opportunity for celebration, but people we have to get serious about politics. We can’t continue to think that it’s a game or a joke … we have to get out and vote, and I know it’s the most uncool thing in the world to have to say, especially to young people that voting is the answer, but it is, it absolutely is. We have to go to the polls …”
I know it’s the most uncool thing in the world to have to say, especially to young people that voting is the answer, but it is, it absolutely is. We have to go to the polls …”
Marc noted Canadian cannabis culture represents three to four million Canadians “and we are potentially the largest voting block in Canada. There are not three to four million [Roman Catholics, Protestants or Conservatives], there just aren’t three to four million of anybody when you consider a voting block.”
“I think we are a marginalized, underrepresented and underestimated voting block and we can really make a big difference.”
Not one to mince words, Marc called Prime Minister Stephen Harper a “despot” and “tyrant” running a party “whose principals do not parallel that of [most Canadians] who want transparency, justice, honesty. Marc went on to say that Harper “wants to punish us, he wants to portray marijuana use as a sin that requires harsh punishment and we have to reject that …”
Marc’s recent stint in prison cost his family roughly $110,000 which was used to purchase e-mail access, telephone calls and black market fruits and vegetables.
“The time is right for changing marijuana laws in Canada, now is the time, we have to get people organized,” said Jodie. “… support the party that has legalization in their platform and that’s how we’ll change our laws in Canada, there’s no other way.”
“If Canadians don’t like pot, I don’t know how they feel about millions of dollars being wasted every year going after pot when our hospitals are underfunded, education is suffering … millions wasted on pot prohibition under Harper, no thank you.”
Jodie sees Trudeau’s Liberals as the most likely chance to defeat the Conservatives.
“Marijuana prohibition is doomed to fail. We’re seeing prohibition being rejected throughout the United States, we’re seeing even conservative states passing laws allowing children to access medical marijuana. It’s only a matter of time before every state and all of Canada legalize marijuana,” she added.
Noting that Windsor was a main route for alcohol to enter and exit both countries during respective prohibitions, Jodie agreed that it was “very ironic that [Marc is] coming through [an] alcohol prohibition traveling route. I find it ironic that Marc comes home through the border where [he smuggled] High Times into Canada to educate Canadians about marijuana.”
“Nothing good comes of marijuana prohibition,” said Marc. “If you don’t want young people to smoke marijuana thats one thing, but to give them a criminal record, to stigmatize them, to put them in jail for only one night even … that is a very traumatizing thing.”
The Prince of Pot’s cannabis culture (archive.org)
Jonathon Liedtke is the managing editor of The Urbanite, Windsor’s alternative newspaper. He is also a member of Windsor’s “Punk with Horns” band The Nefidovs, and as such, is committed to enhancing and sustaining the arts community.
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