"PRINCE OF POT" PANS CANADIAN MARIJUANA BILL

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (Reuters) - In the smoky confines of the B.C.
Marijuana Party Bookstore, the "Prince of Pot" was not impressed on Tuesday
with Canada's plan to decriminalize small amounts of the drug.

Marc Emery said marijuana smokers may face fines rather than prison
sentences under the proposed law, but will end up paying higher prices
because of tougher penalties proposed for growers of the drug.

"Superficially, it is going to be better for people who smoke pot in a
public setting... but they're going to be paying more and going to be paying
fines more routinely," said Emery.

Under the new bill, introduced in Parliament on Tuesday, people caught with
15 grams (half an ounce, or enough for about 15 to 30 joints) or less of
cannabis would only be fined, and criminal penalties would be reduced on
those growing up to 25 marijuana plants.

Marijuana is estimated by both police and advocates of its legalization to
be a C$4 billion to C$6 billion ($2.9 billon to $4.3 billion) industry in
British Columbia, with much of the potent "B.C. Bud" destined for the United
States.

Emery, who founded the B.C. Marijuana Party, runs a lucrative mail-order
seed distribution company and owns Internet-based Pot-TV, estimates there
are between 75,000 and 95,000 illegal "grow-ops" in the province.

U.S. drug official often point to Vancouver -- sometimes nicknamed
"VanAmsterdam" -- when they complain that any move to decriminalize
marijuana would be a threat to the United States.

"This is for the United States," Emery said as he pointed to the section of
the new bill dealing with tougher criminal penalties for people caught
growing or possessing large amounts of marijuana.

The maximum penalty for growing more than 50 plants would be doubled to 14
years in prison under the new legislation

Emery does not think tougher laws against marijuana cultivation will
actually reduce the number of growing operations in the area, adding the
cost of avoiding getting caught will be passed along to the consumer.

He wants Canada to legalize pot, which would allow governments to collect
tax revenues just as they do on tobacco and alcohol.

Similar views could be heard at the Amsterdam Cafe, which has its own
specially ventilated smoking area, pipes and smoking paraphernalia, as well
as baked goods for those who get the munchies.

"It's not decriminalization, its recriminalization," said one man as he
rolled up a joint.

Emery does not expect the debate to end soon. After talking to a reporter he
went over to a poster that showed a Toronto newspaper from June 1970. The
headline reads "Ottawa to ease marijuana law."