COPS DISMISS POT PROVOCATEUR

A pot activist who is making a habit of getting locked up for lighting up
likely won't feel the strong arm of the law when his nationwide "smokeout"
tour hits Edmonton next month, say cops.

Marc Emery, publisher of Cannabis Culture, was arrested for smoking pot in
Winnipeg earlier this month and spent last night in a jail cell in Moncton,
N.B., according to supporters.

The B.C. activist is due in Calgary Aug. 9 and Edmonton the next day as a
part of a pro-legalization tour.

But city police spokesman Wes Bellmore said cops have no intention of
becoming the "lightning rod" for anyone's publicity stunts.

"We usually don't go out of our way to become involved in these stunts,"
said Bellmore.

"If he comes and smokes pot on our stairs and that's the extent of it, it's
quite likely we won't have much of a response."

Emery, the self-proclaimed prince of pot, has visited four cities in three
provinces this month as part of his tour. But he said he doesn't want to be
charged and was "elated" when cops didn't arrest him during Saturday's
rally in Halifax, N.S. He wasn't as lucky in Moncton yesterday, supporters
said.

Emery also missed a planned stop in Dauphin, Man., July 10, after being
arrested and detained in Winnipeg.

And he admits his tour dates - including those in Alberta - are dependent
on him being legally free to attend.

University of Alberta criminal law professor Sanjeev Anand called Emery's
tour an "irresponsible" waste of taxpayers' money.

"You have to question whether this guy is actually accomplishing anything,"
said Anand. "The matters are already going to be dealt with by the courts.
There's already a legislative initiative. So all he's doing is wasting
taxpayers' money and his own."

Anand said charges laid against Emery and any subsequent court appearances
will cost taxpayers thousands of dollars.

"If he wants to do something constructive, maybe he should go and volunteer
at food shelters."

But John Carpay, Alberta director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation,
said there's nothing anyone can do about the cost of "civil disobedience."

"It is costing the justice system some money, but it's also a long-standing
tradition of certain individuals to bend the law to prove a point."

Former B.C. Marijuana Party leader Brian Taylor, now editor of Cannabis
Health magazine, said he doesn't support Emery's confrontational style but
thinks he has a good point.

"We are trying to avoid that image of blowing smoke in your face," he said.

"But the marijuana laws are non-existent and he's forcing institutions to
deal with that."