FORMER LONDONER BOUND FOR JAIL

VANCOUVER - The Prince of Pot hosted a farewell party/talk last night
as part of his "Farewell Tour" before his incarceration in the U.S.
this fall.

Pot activist Marc Emery, a former Londoner, is touring Canada for a
last hurrah in favour of legalizing marijuana before he pleads guilty
to a charge of conspiracy to manufacture marijuana for selling
marijuana seeds to Americans.

Emery is turning himself in to the U.S. Department of Justice rather
than await extradition and expects to spend up to five years in jail.
Emery is resigned to doing hard time and, for now, is committed to
spreading his message: Marijuana prohibition exacerbates gang problems.

"Prohibition laws are manufacturing more sophisticated criminals," he
said. "All jails are run by gangs, and these young 19-year-olds who go
to jail for small-time [pot] charges are making gang ties and are
expected to maintain gang activity once they get out."

The activist is petitioning to serve his sentence in Canada, but once
he enters prison in the U.S., his supporters will have to lobby on his
behalf.

If Emery serves his sentence in Canada, he would be eligible for early
parole as a non-violent, first-time offender.