MARIJUANA PARTY LEADER TO RUN FOR MAYOR

Vancouver - The legalization of marijuana will be an issue in the
upcoming Vancouver civic election.

Pot crusader Marc Emery says he's running for mayor, backed by a full
slate of Marijuana Party candidates seeking seats on city council and
the park board.

Emery says he'll make policing and civil liberties his key campaign issues.

Emery ran for mayor in 1996.

He placed fifth on a list of 58 candidates that included names like
Zippy the Circus Chimp, Lupo the Butcher and Frank the Moose.

Emery says he has no illusions about winning the mayor's seat.

He says he's running to draw attention to how police treat marijuana
users and growers.

"I'll be running on a campaign expressly about police corruption and
police abuse and the terrible subjection of our liberties that has
gone on in Phillip Owen's last three terms," says Emery.

The Marijuana Party leader agrees Owen has made efforts to improve
the drug situation in the Downtown Eastside.

But he says Owen's strategy has focused too much on punishing drug users.

Emery says he'll officially announce his candidacy on May 2.

The announcement will occur two days before a series of pro-marijuana
rallies in cities across North America.