B.C.'S PRINCE OF POT SURRENDERS FOR EXTRADITION TO U.S. TO FACE DRUG CHARGES

VANCOUVER - After flouting marijuana laws for decades, British
Columbia's so-called prince of pot turned himself in to authorities
Monday to face extradition to the U.S.

But Marc Emery was defiant until the end.

"Plant the seeds of freedom. Over grow the government everyone," Emery
yelled as he was led away by sheriffs at the B.C. Supreme Court in
downtown Vancouver.

His wife Jodie Emery wept during the short court process where Justice
Anne MacKenzie committed Emery for surrender to the United States.

Earlier this month, Emery reached a plea agreement to serve a
five-year prison term for selling marijuana seeds to American
customers. The next step is for the federal justice minister to order
his surrender.

But before he surrendered himself, Emery told supporters and a horde
of media outside the court that he was hopeful the minister wouldn't
approve the extradition.

"And if they do sign they must be punished in the next election," he
said.

If that doesn't work, Emery is hoping he'll be transferred to serve
his time at home under an agreement between Canada and the United
States that allows prisoners to serve their time in their home
countries. "I would be out on the street with you a year from now if
I'm transferred back to Canada as a non-violent first offender in the
federal system."

He conceded that the Conservative government has so far refused to
repatriate any Canadian convicted in the United States of a marijuana
offence.

"That bodes poorly for me," Emery told reporters.

He doesn't deny selling the seeds to U.S. customers - in fact, he said
he did so deliberately.

"I'm proud of representing the cannabis culture," he told the crowd
outside the courthouse.

"There's no crime ... the crime is we have a government that
continues to hand a huge business over to the underground, the
criminal element as a matter of public policy."

He said politicians who support marijuana prohibition are supporters
of organized crime.

Jodie Emery told the crowd she was devastated her husband was going to
prison and furious with the Canadian government.

"Help bring my husband back home to me please," she said,
weeping.

She said her husband is a political prisoner because when he was
arrested on the U.S. charges, the American prosecutor issued a news
release saying the arrest was a significant blow to the marijuana
legalization movement.

"When you consider that there are people moving tones of cocaine and
damaging harmful drugs and weapons . . . this is insulting," she said.

"Nobody should go to prison for a plant."