EMERY WAS CHARGED FOR WORK TOWARD DRUG POLICY REFORM

To the editor,

Re: Emery's incarceration denies fundamental rights, October 3, 2009

Michael J Dee wrote the Prince of Pot is going to prison in the United
States for selling seeds.

I must strongly disagree.

Yes, Marc Emery sold cannabis seeds to willing customers. He also paid
taxes of over $580,000 to the federal and provincial governments, from
1999 to 2005, on those seeds.

However, Marc Emery, if extradited, will not be going to prison in the
United States because he sold seeds. There are many cannabis seed
sellers, in Canada and the United States, who won't be going to jail.

Marc Emery was charged because he is a political activist working for
drug policy reform.

Marc gave away all of the profits from his seed business to drug law
reform lobbyists, political parties, global protests and rallies,
court litigation, medical marijuana initiatives, drug rehabilitation
clinics, and other legitimate legal activities and
organizations.

The US Drug Enforcement Administration admitted in a press release
from Administrator Karen Tandy that his July 29th, 2005, arrest was
based on his marijuana legalization efforts:

Hundreds of thousands of dollars of Emery's illicit profits are known
to have been channelled to marijuana legalization groups active in the
United States and Canada. Drug legalization lobbyists now have one
less pot of money to rely on.

It is Canada's shame that our Conservative government wants to
extradite Marc Emery to a foreign country.

If a Canadian has broken the law in Canada, he or she should be given
a fair jury trial in Canada.

I urge all loyal Canadians to protect our sovereignty and insist that
all MPs oppose any extradition of Marc Emery to a foreign country.

Herb Couch

Nelson, B.C.