POT PROTESTERS OCCUPY NANAIMO MP'S OFFICE

A handful of protesters descended on Nanaimo-Alberni Conservative MP
James Lunney's office Wednesday to protest the extradition of Marc
Emery and call for change in legislation regarding marijuana.

Mik Mann, who uses medical marijuana to treat his spinal arthritis,
said the recent extradition of Emery made all the unresolved issues
around marijuana bubble to the surface.

Emery is the leader of the B.C. Marijuana Party and sold marijuana
seeds over the Internet to customers in Canada and the U.S. for more
than 10 years. The U.S. government sought Emery to lay charges of
drug trafficking.

Mann said he wants the Conservative government to stop the
extradition, address issues around medical marijuana and ultimately
legalize the substance.

"We are demanding they debate the marijuana issue in the House of
Commons," he said.

Lunney said the protesters are mixing the issues, because Emery's
extradition is a separate issue from medical marijuana use.

"Marc Emery is no hero in my eyes," said Lunney. "He flouted the law
and he is paying the consequences."

The issue of medical marijuana and the Health Canada system for
receiving marijuana for medical use is a complicated issue, because
there are a lot of grey areas regarding legislation, he said.

Protester Neil Allard uses medical marijuana to treat his Myalgic
Encephalomyelitis, alos known as chronic fatigue disorder. He decided
to join the protest to show his displeasure with the Health Canada
medical marijuana system.

"It's a disgrace," he said. "They don't help you. It's like they are
adversaries who are kicking and screaming every length of the way to
prevent people from getting into the program."

Nanaimo RCMP were called to the protest because staff at Lunney's
office complained about some of the protesters screaming and the
scent of marijuana.

Gary O'Brien, Nanaimo RCMP spokesman, said it was a lawful protest,
but the smell itself was distracting Lunney's staff. The protesters
left without incident shortly after police arrived.

Protesters will be on Nanaimo streets again Saturday (May 22) to
protest Emery's extradition. The protest begins at 11 a.m. across
from the Salvation Army.