Vancouver's Prince of Pot, Marc Emery, remains an unapologetic marijuana proponent despite facing five years in prison.

He was arrested by Canadian police in 2005 at the request of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and faced extradition to the U.S. for selling pot seeds over the Internet. An extradition hearing was scheduled for later this month, but less than a week ago Emery agreed to a tentative five-year prison deal, which prohibits him from being eligible for early release. The agreement must be approved by American and Canadian courts and is contingent on keeping Emery's co-accused Michelle Reaney, who has Crohn's disease, and Greg Williams, out of jail.

Emery, 50, insists he agreed to the deal mainly to protect Reaney and Williams, but lawyers also told him the case was doomed.

Emery expects supporters to continue lobbying for him.

"I'm hoping Canadians start a campaign to release me as soon as I'm put in jail. It's outrageous. They shouldn't accept it and they should be working to get me out of jail much earlier than five years," Emery said Monday. "I have the expectation that Canadians will do that because I've been a really good citizen and none of us who are involved in the marijuana industry or the marijuana culture should go to jail. But certainly not me, a Canadian citizen, I think, of exemplary note... While I'm in jail, it's a testament that we've sold our judicial system to the Americans."

Williams, manager of Pot TV, said nothing has been inked yet, so relief is out of the question at this point. "I have mixed emotions about it. It's a shame it has to come to a deal and is never brought before the Canadian courts certainly, or any court, to be heard," he said. "We've been embroiled in this for quite some time, so for me it's not really over until it's over."

The 53-year-old suspects Emery had run out of options, but acknowledges he and Reaney were used as leverage. "I'm not sure he had any way out. I think if he went across the border we'd never hear from the man again," Williams said. "So I think it's better for him to be here for sure, closer to his loved ones etc. Perhaps better for the movement because we have access to him. And if it means I go free, I'm certainly all for that."

Emery, publisher of Cannabis Culture, plans to sell the magazine before he goes to prison. While acknowledging five years is a significant sentence, Emery said he isn't worried about jail time. He describes himself as a resilient person who finds meaning in things other people consider onerous.

He completed a three-month stint in a Saskatchewan prison several years ago, where he worked as a janitor, wrote extensively and read. "I kept busy and that's the key to surviving jail--you've got to keep busy and you've got to have projects," he said, vowing to learn French and Spanish and write 100 chapters of a book if he's locked up.

"Then when I come out I expect Canadians to repay this debt to me and make me the justice minister so I can end this war on drugs once and for all," he said. "After I serve five years in jail, they ought to feel damn guilty about it since Canadians are all complicit in my behaviour. They accepted my tax money. Everybody knew what I was doing. I was very transparent."

Emery's characteristic ego is intact, judging by his response when asked if he's afraid he'll be forgotten by supporters while in prison. "I'm the most popular and recognized marijuana activist in the world, and there's 165 million people who use and consume cannabis and they're greatly indebted to me for the progress we've made over the last 15 years," he said.

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