POT ACTIVIST NOT BREAKING OUR LAWS

As you have heard, Marc Emery is set to receive a jail sentence of up
to 10 years (Plea Deal for Canadian Pot Activist Means Jail Time in
U.S. - Jan. 15). Charges set by the U.S. government upon a Canadian
citizen.

Distribution of marijuana seeds is not illegal in Canada, and the
money laundering charges are bogus, as tax records will show. Had
Emery had been in violation of the Canadian law, we would have
arrested him long before he was able to get rich off what the U.S.
says is illegal.

It is unethical for the United States to charge a Canadian citizen
for an openly transparent and taxed Canadian business that has been
up and running for some time now. Emery is physically inside Canada's
borders, committing no crime under the Canadian law.

One way or the other Emery will be made an example of. The example we
do not want him to be made, is that of an American government that
can have Canadian citizens arrested, detained and eventually charged
for committing no crime under our law.

If anyone should be arrested under these circumstances, it should be
the American citizen on the receiving end of the seeds in the United
States. This American citizen is buying a legitimate Canadian product
that happens to be illegal in the United States.

Does the Canadian government want to have all the American citizens
charged that are selling switch blade knives and radar detectors up
into Canada? No, not unless it is prepared for an eternity of legal
problems for a possible minor social problem. Marijuana seeds are a
legitimate Canadian product and are not necessarily manifested into
the marijuana being sold on the streets. Emery should be free on that
fact alone.

It cannot be proved beyond a doubt his seeds are responsible for
anything. Even if they have been responsible for marijuana inside the
United States, he is selling a legal Canadian product from inside
Canada's borders.

Ethically, Emery is (breaking) no Canadian law and has not physically
committed a crime inside the United States, nor coerced anyone into
committing any American crime. He is simply selling a Canadian
product to consenting adults around the world. What the consumer
does with that product is their choice alone and should be held
responsible.

ANTHONY J. CALLAGHAN

Belleville/Ottawa