US Government's Failed Drug War Brought to Canadian Soil

[notslow]

Before I begin discussion of a current event that is threatening Canadian sovereignty I must first give a little background information on a man known here as the Prince of Pot.

Marc Emery grew up in London Ontario and at the age of seventeen he dropped out of high school to open his own shop selling books. Immediately he became engulfed in rights issues and began lobbying to change laws that put the harshest restrictions on free will. After repeated threats of jail time, Marc continued to leave his shop open on Sundays; something that was against the law there at the time. He was eventually jailed for a weekend. Once he realized that it was illegal to print any marijuana related material he continued to do so and after not being charged he handed out books and pamphlets in front of the local police station, still without any charges. With his consistent pressure marijuana related publications were legalized.

In the 90's Marc relocated to Vancouver where he opened a marijuana seed selling business and started a revolution. Now although here in Canada selling seeds is technically illegal, it is very rarely enforced. In fact in the past thirty five years there is only one precedent setting case where a man received a $200 fine. For ten years Marc sold seeds mostly unbothered by the Canadian government and rightfully so; they collected over $500,000 in taxes he claimed listing his occupation as a marijuana seed seller.

Now unlike the dozens of other seed sellers (including one across the street from his store) Marc, being the loudmouth activist he is, began a crusade on marijuana reform. He founded the British Columbia Marijuana Party, has ran in several elections, created and continues to publish Cannabis Culture magazine and tour the country educating people on the medical benefits of marijuana and how its prohibition is more destructive than the plant itself.

Meanwhile in the United States the Drug Enforcement Agency was developing a list of their 50 most dangerous drug offenders. Above organized criminals like the Hell's Angels with chapters and members all throughout the country, above all the drug smugglers South of the US border placed Marc Emery. The DEA had branded one seed selling marijuana activist as one of the most dangerous men in the whole world. According to them, Marc has sold marijuana seeds that have destroyed American families and ruined the quality of American life only they have yet to actually produce any physical evidence as his seeds can produce male plants known as hemp which actually has the potential to be one of the most environmentally friendly solutions to many of the materials you use everyday. That; however, is a story for another day. Its also important to note that Marc has never set foot on American soil for his business purpose. His seeds were delivered through mail. Marc has invested nearly everything he made from his business back into marijuana reform. Instead of buying property, expanding his business or other ventures to increase his net worth he put approx %90 of earnings back into marijuana reform.

After countless years sitting by watching the RCMP let Marc continue to freely operate his business they had decided that enough was enough and they would take business into their own hands. In 2005, once they had evidence of consenting US adults exercising their choice to buy seeds from a Canadian business they ordered Marc's arrest (and the arrest of two of his employees) and RCMP raided his store in front of his wife, customers and friends on the DEA's request. Marc was charged with conspiracy to sell marijuana (which he has never done) and conspiracy to sell marijuana seeds. The Canadian government did not press any charges against him. On the same day of Marc's arrest, Karen Tandy, administrator for the DEA, released the following letter identifying the real reason for Marc's arrest:

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.

The arrest had nothing to do with his seed selling business and everything to do with his political activity. The DEA knew that as long as Marc kept educating Canadians on how prohibition encourages organized crime, fills American prisons with non violent offenders and continues to waste trillions of tax payer dollars on another failed war they would have a difficult time forcing their ideals on the Canadian government. They are biting their tongue now after remembering Canadian law stating that the government will not extradite one of their own based on that person's political actions.

Originally Marc was threatened with life imprisonment for his seed selling (you still haven't forgotten that the country he is from does not even care to pursue this 'crime' let alone prosecute for it, have you?) His co-accused, Greg Williams and Michelle Rainey, were also looking at serving some time in a US jail. Michelle, a Crones sufferer has a Canadian legal license to grow and smoke cannabis for her illness and without she would be in a consistent gut retching pain. Unfortunately, the US government doesn't hold the same views of medical pot as its Canadian counterpart so as far as Michelle was concerned she was really looking at death in prison.

After fighting for four years he scored a deal that would allow Greg and Michelle to serve no time and himself a 5 year sentence. This sentence was to be served in a US 'alien' jail designed for non-Americans. These jails are almost entirely populated by gangs, organized criminals and drug lords. There are no rehabilitation or education programs like are extended to American criminals. 5 years of some of the hardest time one can serve.

Marc has a hearing scheduled for September 28th here in Vancouver. He will be held in prison here for up to 60 days before being transferred to a Seattle prison and then the 'alien' jail. News of his struggles has been all over major Canadian media in the past week and rallies on his behalf were held in every US state, every Canadian province, as well as countries across the globe.

On September 28th the Canadian legal system bends over for the US government and takes one more step to strip its people of their rights (to be tried in Canadian courts and if found guilty serve time in a Canadian prison). The implications of the case threaten every Canadians future as well as tarnish the US government once more.

"I am a Canadian,free to speak without fear,free to worship in my own way,free to stand for what I think right,free to oppose what I believe wrong, orfree to choose those who shall govern my country.This heritage of freedom I pledge to uphold for myself and all mankind."-John G Diefenbaker: Former Canadian Prime Minister
Modified by notslow at 3:00 PM 9/25/2009

[dusred]

The fact that he was selling seeds and shipping them to the US (where they are illegal) says to me that he needs some jail time. It may be legal in Canada but NOT in the US.

The entire article, as anyone can tell, is VERY BIASED toward Marc.

To say ". . Failed Drug War. . . " is quite ridicules.

[notslow]

The fact that he was selling seeds and shipping them to the US (where they are illegal) says to me that he needs some jail time. It may be legal in Canada but NOT in the US.

The entire article, as anyone can tell, is VERY BIASED toward Marc.

To say ". . Failed Drug War. . . " is quite ridicules.

Selling seeds in either country is illegal. Why should he serve jail time? He is a Canadian and committed his crime on Canadian soil. The country's precedent case carried a $200 fine which is all that Marc should be subject to. That doesn't even bring into question the half million that they collected from him on taxes over the years.

I am interested to hear why you think the War on Drugs has been successful. US prisons are full of non-violent offenders and the government and DEA have used trillions of tax payer dollars yet nothing has changed. The drug situation is no better now than when the DEA was established in 1973. Its also important to note that although the US accounts for %5 of the world's population, they house 1/4 of the world's prison population.
Modified by notslow at 3:35 PM 9/26/2009

[dusred]

Selling seeds in either country is illegal. Why should he serve jail time? He is a Canadian and committed his crime on Canadian soil.

On that same logic lets say he launches a bomb into the US. . . "he did it on Canadian soil so the US shouldn't care" wouldn't fly and it doesn't fly with selling marijuana seeds. He sold them into the US and therefore he committed a crime against the US and therefore he must pay for the crime in the US whether it's jail time or fines.

Quote »The country's precedent case carried a $200 fine which is all that Marc should be subject to. That doesn't even bring into question the half million that they collected from him on taxes over the years.[/quote]Which Country are you talking about, the US or Canada? The US or Canada collected a half million on him?

Quote »I am interested to hear why you think the War on Drugs has been successful. [/quote]I can guarantee there are less drugs trafficked into the US because of the drug war. If you allow people to break the laws and do nothing about it soon you won't have any government. I'm interested to hear why you think the war hasn't been successful?

Quote »US prisons are full of non-violent offenders and the government and DEA have used trillions of tax payer dollars yet nothing has changed. The drug situation is no better now than when the DEA was established in 1973.[/quote]First, an offender is an offender weather violent or not.

Think of how it would be if the DEA wasn't intervening in drug trafficking. It would be 100x worse. You cannot allow people to overrun your laws and still have order.

Quote » Its also important to note that although the US accounts for %5 of the world's population, they house 1/4 of the world's prison population.[/quote]I highly doubt that. I want to see where you got your info on that.

Last little thought here, I don't necessarily agree with the laws concerning Marijuana, in fact I think it should be legal to responsible adults, but the law is the law and until it is changed it should be enforced. The Drug War isn't just about Marijuana, if it was I would be totally against it. Because they are cracking down big time on drugs our countries are safer. We have the right to bare arms and when people on drugs bare arms it puts our rights in jeopardy. I think you get what I'm saying.

[notslow]

On that same logic lets say he launches a bomb into the US. . . "he did it on Canadian soil so the US shouldn't care" wouldn't fly and it doesn't fly with selling marijuana seeds. He sold them into the US and therefore he committed a crime against the US and therefore he must pay for the crime in the US whether it's jail time or fines.

Than explain to me where a Canadian or you as an American loose your (or our) rights and freedoms (to be tried in court). He is Charter of Rights and Freedoms protected to have a fair trial in a Canadian court. When do we decide to stop following precedent setting cases, as one would expect the legal system to do, and instead give up our sovereignty to the US?

Quote »Which Country are you talking about, the US or Canada? The US or Canada collected a half million on him?[/quote]Canada did. Despite it being illegal here he still paid the government for 10 years, listing his occupation when filing his taxes as 'marijuana seed seller'.

Quote »I can guarantee there are less drugs trafficked into the US because of the drug war. If you allow people to break the laws and do nothing about it soon you won't have any government. I'm interested to hear why you think the war hasn't been successful?[/quote]I am saying get to the source of the problem. The source of the problems are the drug dealers themselves not so much the drug itself. The biggest reason why the US still holds such a huge hate-on for weed is because its illegal and the DEA's standpoint on drugs. The fact its illegal is exactly what drives organized crime. If it were legal and regulated like tobacco and alcohol (which I believe can be found as more destructive with a little more searching on wikipedia) the prison population would decline (saved taxpayer money on non-violent offenders), the product would be taxed (government makes huge revenue) and people that are stoned are not violent so they would chill at home and eat some burgers or munch out or something. Currently, however, one must buy it from a shady dealer that doesn't check for ID and instead tries to upsell you to other things like coke and meth. Weed isn't a gateway drug... the dealer is. Legalizing it will effectively take the power away from the organized crime element all the while funding the US government and saving them money.

The war on drugs is a massive failure for several reasons:1) the US government labeled marijuana as a Schedule 1 drug (of no medical use) The fact that the US government won't acknowledge the medical benefits of pot is pure ignorance right of the bat and shows how little they know or care to know about marijuana.

"The U.S. government classification of marijuana as a Schedule I drug (having no accepted medical use) is contradicted by several scientific studies which suggest that it may in fact have medicinal value as a treatment for ailments such as cancer,[39] glaucoma, Fibromyalgia,[40] and neuropathic pain, among others"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W...icism

2) To touch on my point earlier about the cost of prohibition. To poorly try and keep a non-destructive, beneficial substance off US streets the US government annually spends over $44 billion. If it were legal you could add another approx. $6.7 billion to that figure as tax revenue combined with saved cost of legal enforcement. What could the government do with an extra $50 billion a year? I believe those numbers are also in that link. If not, I can track down several economist reports stating the same.

The same link will point out several other criticisms to the War on Drugs but to highlight probably the most important one... Hemp.

3) Hemp is the male plant of cannabis. If the US government were truly concerned with 'saving the environment' and reducing the carbon footprint, hemp would have been legalized long ago. Hemp can be used to make clothes, buildings, paper, rope, hand creams, fuel... basically many materials you use everyday and even the Lotus Eco Elise: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRysD6TuhHU

Quote »I highly doubt that. I want to see where you got your info on that.[/quote]"The United States has the highest documented incarceration rate in the world at 738 persons in prison or jail per 100,000 (as of 2005).[20] A report released Feb. 28, 2008 indicates that more than 1 in 100 adults in the United States are in prison.[9] The United States has 5% of the world's population and 23.6% of the world's prison population.

"American prisons and jails held 2,299,116 inmates as of June 30, 2007. One in every 31 American adults, or 7.3 million Americans, are in prison, on parole or probation. Approximately one in every 18 men in the United States is behind bars or being monitored. A significantly greater percentage of the American population is in some form of correctional control even though crime rates have declined by about 25 percent from 1988-2008."http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I...tates

Quote »Last little thought here, I don't necessarily agree with the laws concerning Marijuana, in fact I think it should be legal to responsible adults, but the law is the law and until it is changed it should be enforced. The Drug War isn't just about Marijuana, if it was I would be totally against it. Because they are cracking down big time on drugs our countries are safer. We have the right to bare arms and when people on drugs bare arms it puts our rights in jeopardy. I think you get what I'm saying. [/quote]I agree with you here. I believe that the DEA exists for a good reason and I think that should still continue to operate. That said, change is needed. It would be relatively simple to take marijuana off their list of drugs to hunt down. It wasn't long ago that alcohol was illegal. It took much lobbying for it to be legalized and so too will marijuana.
Modified by notslow at 3:13 AM 9/28/2009

[WDRacing]

ANy jail time in reference to anything pot related is stupid and a total waste of resources. Only ignorant people are against Pot Reform. Seriously...educate yourselves. It's only illegal here or anywhere for that matter do to sheer ignorance. Schedule 1...you've got to be F'n me.

The DEA is a waste and the war is failed. Hello...how can you even think the so called war on drugs is anything but a failure? We spend billions with little to no actual affect on drug taffic. That's a failure in my book.

WD

[notslow]

Love the Ron Paul quote WD.

That quote is another answer to the reason marijuana is still illegal in the US. Everyday politicians and reform groups are put under pressure from other groups and politicians, police and other regulatory organizations. Everybody has a secret and they won't hesitate to expose those with a different opinion than theirs.