Is Marc Emery's political career up in smoke?
By: Sheryl Rooth, The Londoner (CN ON), 06-16-09

In Canada, if you stand up for something you believe in, does the country owe you anything?

And if the consequences for your actions means spending several years in a US prison, do Canadians owe you anything?

Marc Emery, the self-proclaimed ‘Prince of Pot’ believes we do.

Nearly four years ago, I wrote a column about Marc’s arrest by US authorities for selling marijuana seeds to US customers through his mail order business, in addition to charges for money laundering and manufacturing marijuana. My point then was that we should not feel sorry for him having to suffer the consequences when he chose to break the law. Believing in your cause doesn’t mean there aren’t always consequences. No one forced him to do what he did. It was his choice to flaunt the law to continue with his mission to supply marijuana seeds to anyone who wished to purchase them. And business was good.

The emails I received following that column ranged from informative and educated to frightfully ridiculous including a few death threats from folks whose email names were “Stonedallday” and “Doobielover”. People either agreed with my opinion or they didn’t, vehemently. There was no gray area. Just like people’s opinions of Marc. People either like him or they don’t. By far however, the most interesting was the very long and detailed email I received from Marc himself, explaining his stance.

Make no mistake about it, this is a very smart man. He’s fought against laws and by-laws ever since his early days here in London. And you have to have respect for someone who is willing to put it all on the line for a cause he believes in, even if you don’t believe in it. But does that mean we owe him? I don’t think so.

Every day people sacrifice to make this country a wonderful place to live. Obviously, the members of the Canadian Armed Forces and the various policing services come to mind first. You just need to open a newspaper from any large city or small town across this country to see what they are willing to give up in order for us to keep our freedoms. They know what they’re getting in to when they sign their name to service. But there are other ways that people sacrifice, with time, pain and perseverance. And yet I’ve never heard anyone come forward to say that we as a country owe them for their cause.

Are laws regarding the growth, use and sale of marijuana as archaic as some believe? It’s possible as some believe that all of the problems stem to it being an illegal substance. And should it be legal, we wouldn’t have the grow ops and the drug dealers in family neighbourhoods. I disagree. You’d still have grow-ops, drug dealers and weapon caches. When there is an opportunity for income, people will take it. And if it’s tax free, so much the better.

So what does Marc Emery believe we owe him for his 30 years of self-induced sacrifice? To be elected to federal parliament and be made a justice minister so that he may appeal marijuana prohibition. It’s too bad he didn’t take this route into politics before his raft of charges, because in all likelihood, he probably would have made it to his goal.

It’s Marc’s arrogance and confidence that would make him a great politician. Unfortunately, it’s also his biggest liability.

© 2009 H.U.M.A.N.: Hemp Users Medical Access Network - Toronto Medical Marijuana