The Failed War On Pot Users

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 10/20/2005 | Debra J. Saunders

[april15Bendovr]

Every time we see a major supplier of street drugs arrested their becomes a panic amongst all the users. If Marijuana is so harmless lets see what happens to regular users if they go without it for a while without treatment?

http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/pubs/states/newsrel/seattle072905.html

News Release
For More Information Contact:
Jeffrey M. Eig
Public Information Officer
Seattle Field Division
206-553-1411
July 29, 2005

"Prince of Pot" Arrested by US-Canadian Task Force
Major Distributor of Marijuana Federally Indicted in Seattle, Washington

JUL 29--(Seattle, WA) The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Halifax Police Department arrested MARC EMERY, 47, of Vancouver, BC, today on a warrant issued from the Western District of Washington in Seattle. EMERY is accused of selling millions of dollars of marijuana seeds over the internet, though the mail, and in person to individuals in the United States and across the globe. The DEA, in an investigation of EMERY has traced his seeds to illegal marijuana crops in Indiana, Florida, California, Tennessee, Montana, Virginia, Michigan, New Jersey and North Dakota. An estimated 75% of the seeds EMERY sells are transported to the United States.

“The tentacles of the Mark Emery criminal enterprise reached out across North America to include all 50 United States and Canada,” said Special Agent in Charge Rodney G. Benson of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). “Mr. Emery utilized the internet to sell his marijuana seeds throughout this country to customers no matter their age. He directed his business with efficiency, was motivated by greed, and will now be prosecuted for this illegal activity.”

MARC EMERY has operated Marc Emery Direct since 1994, taking orders for marijuana seeds over the internet and is a well known figure in Canada as publisher of Cannabis Culture magazine, and leader of the BC Marijuana Party. According to the web site run by EMERY, he has made more than $3 million annually, illegally selling marijuana seeds. EMERY claims to stock the largest supply of marijuana seeds in the world and is considered the largest distributor of marijuana seeds. According to court filings, Emery seeds are associated with multiple illegal grow operations across the U.S.

EMERY and co-defendants GREGORY KEITH WILLIAMS, 50, of Vancouver, BC and MICHELLE RAINEY-FENKAREK, 34, of Vancouver, BC are charged with Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana, Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana Seeds and Conspiracy to Engage in Money Laundering. The charges carry penalties of 10 years to life in prison.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington has filed an extradition request with Canada asking that all three defendants be brought to Seattle to stand trial.

[april15Bendovr]

By the way BC Bud THC levels are the highest ever recorded due to cultivating techniques. Sometimes up to 29%. If a lot of these seeds were making it here to the United states you have to wonder what the average THC level might be in America?

[jmc813]

Cars get stolen too. Maybe we should all start leaving our keys in the ignition with the windows rolled down.

I wouldn't worry about it, Roscoe. Nobody wants to steal that Volvo station wagon you drive. ;-)

[Mojave]

Richard Cowan. That law states that the more intense the law enforcement, the more potent the prohibited substance becomes.

Your "source": Former National Director of NORML, The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws.

[Mojave]

Nobody wants to steal that Volvo station wagon you drive.

It's got new floor mats.

[Mojave]

Substantiating points makes no difference to the oxymoronic.

Another confession, tpaine?

[airborne502]

Mojoke's see a pain under every volvo.

[Mojave]

Your abusive PM's gave you away, tpaine.

[airborne502]

Your abusive trollings give you away, mojo.

[april15Bendovr]

Nice to see that the liberals and potheads get along so well in Canada. Makes me wonder if the Paleo-Libertarians would stab Conservatives in the back just to maintain their buz here?

http://www.canadiandemocraticmovement.ca/displayarticle595.html

Leader Of Marijuana Party Joins Liberal Party Of Canada To Advance Marijuana Issue

Marc Boris St-Maurice, the former leader of the Marijuana Party of Canada has resigned his position and taken up ranks with the federal Liberal Party in the hopes of advancing the marijuana cause.

While Marc Boris St-Maurice is now gone, the party he has supported since their inception will continue on in his absence. Blair T. Longley, is the new leader of the Marijuana Party of Canada.

From Marc Boris St-Maurice:

I had the honor and privilege to serve as leader of Canada's Marijuana Party from it's inception in 2000 to December, 2004, when I resigned to become an active member of the Liberal Party of Canada.

I believe that if any party will ever legalize marijuana in Canada, it is the Liberals and I hope to bring my knowledge and expertise on this issue to help the Liberal party develop new policies, programs and legislation which address the marijuana situation.

I think there is wide support for marijuana reform within the Liberal party and I am confident that a large proportion of these silent supporters will come forward once the issue is pressed, and I look forward to working with them to bring about this positive change.

I will also be attending the bi-annual convention to help rally support for Resolution No. 87 which calls for the legalization of marijuana that is to be debated at the convention between 11:00 - 12:30, Saturday, March 5, 2005.

Editor Note:
I had the pleasure of meeting Marc Boris St-Maurice on a couple of occasions including at an Elections Canada advisory meeting. Marc Boris St-Maurice was passionate about the marijuana issue, but more than that, he has a keen sense for organization and that will surely come to serve to the Liberal Party well.
Roy Whyte

[CompSciGuy]

Absolutely,

And yes they had a water problem back then too... It is a little hard to brew beer when your nomadic, you have to have agriculture for the primary ingredients (for beer). By the way five thousand years ago there was plenty of civilization to go around, Egyptians, Assyrians, Persians, etc. Perhaps you'd like a few references to the History of the Near East? By the way it doesn't take a man of any intellect to hit the spell button before posting.

Cheers,
CSG

[Know your rights]

if the law says to hand over Jews for gassing they should disobey that law

That wasn't a reference to the holocaust?

It wasn't a statement that the holocaust was a law, contrary to your insinuation.

[HiTech RedNeck]

"Marijuana is a much more serious drug than most Americans realize. It's a more potent drug than it was in the past."

Yes the street is seeing more potent varieties of pot than in the past. This is an expected outcome of any prohibition: push up the potency of what's on the (now black) market. Ya know, during the roaring 20s they had no bathtub WINE nor was BEER served in speakeasies and blind tigers.

[HiTech RedNeck]

Pot smokers don't steal anything from you. It's cheap enough to be on a par with tobacco habits.

[JohnD9207]

Honestly, do you think those who never done marijuana before would all of a sudden use it if it became legal?
And conversely, has marijuana being illegal kept many people who wanted to try it from trying it?

Both interesting points, however while I think there should be some form of regulation/laws concerning marijuana we should agree on one more important point:

NEVER should a jail space be taken up by a pot smoker while releasing a person from jail who was convicted of a more serious crime e.g. sex crime, child molestation, rape, murder, assault.

[Mojave]

Pot smokers don't steal anything from you.

Oh? Has the CSA stolen anything from you?

[Mojave]

NEVER should a jail space be taken up by a pot smoker while releasing a person from jail who was convicted of a more serious crime e.g. sex crime, child molestation, rape, murder, assault.

By the logic: NEVER should a jail space be taken up by a counterfeiter while releasing a person from jail who was convicted of a more serious crime e.g. sex crime, child molestation, rape, murder, assault.

[cryptical]

By the logic: NEVER should a jail space be taken up by a counterfeiter while releasing a person from jail who was convicted of a more serious crime e.g. sex crime, child molestation, rape, murder, assault.

I'll go out on a limb and suggest that crimes against persons should get jail space before crimes against property.

[Mojave]

I'll go out on a limb and suggest that crimes against persons should get jail space before crimes against property.

Property hasn't owners?