Stoners of the world rejoice! Marc Emery, the arch-overlord of weed-activism in Canada, is coming home.
After serving a five-year sentence in various American penitentiaries, Vancouver’s “Prince of Pot” will be released today from a low-security Mississippi prison to a private facility in Louisiana, where he will await his deportation back to Canada. Emery is somewhat of a martyr for the legalization movement, with the catchphrase “Free Marc” having become a staple of the online weed-forum rhetoric. His detainment in American prison was preceded by a long-fought and dirty battle that, to many of his supporters, was indicative of how important his downfall was to some shadowy people in high places.
Extradited in 2009 for selling marijuana seeds to Americans through the mail from Canada, Emery believes that his extradition was an illegal, political move by both governments to damage the marijuana-legalization wave. In fact, about ten years ago when Emery was initially picked up by the feds, the DEA proclaimed his arrest a grand success, as it was a “significant blow” to the international pro-pot movement.
Well despite their best efforts, the DEA and Canada’s Conservative government couldn’t burn out the spirit of Emery’s cause. Since he’s gone to prison, the worldwide movement to legalize dooby snacks has taken leaps and bounds forward, with the majority of Americans now supporting the full legalization of the drug.
One major advancement that has taken place since Emery’s imprisonment is the rise of ganja-kingpin Justin Trudeau, leader of the federal Liberal Party and front runner for prime minister. Marc Emery may have founded the B.C. Marijuana Party in 2000, but after Trudeau introduced legalization as a cornerstone issue (possibly the only issue) of the Liberal platform, Emery’s political affiliations shifted. The Prince of Pot is now a fire-breathing red-blooded Liberal, and has vowed to embark on a cross-country pro-Trudeau campaign tour, along with his wife Jodie, once he’s a free man. Mrs. Emery, a former Ron Paul enthusiast who owns and edits the Cannabis Culture magazine, announced last month her intention to run for MP as the Liberal candidate in Vancouver East, an NDP stronghold since the late 90’s. She herself ran for the Green Party back in 2009, confirming that the Emery’s only have one loyalty: Ms. Mary Jane.
The Prince of Pot and the King-to-Be have had a bit of a strained relationship, going all the way back to 2009 when Emery lashed out at Trudeau for supporting Bill C-15, a bill that would increase prison time for drug offenders. Emery claimed that him and Justin had shared tokes of the doobage together more than once (though all five “big gaggers” were toked in the same evening), making Trudeau a blazing hypocrite. But as the years went on and prison time was served, political positions ‘evolved’ (along with polling numbers). As they stand now, Marc and Justin are slated to be bud-buddies once again.
We’re not entirely sure how Justin Trudeau feels about Emery’s co-sign (believe it or not, some federal politicians don’t actually want to be endorsed by internationally convicted criminals), but there’s one thing we do know: the Prince of Pot is a proven political hustler, and will likely bring potheads, young and old, en masse to the polling stations in 2015. See you soon, Marc.