Buzzby

Statement Regarding The Arrest Of Marc Emery, Michelle Rainey and Greg Williams of the British Columbia Marijuana Party
NORML Canada | PR Direct | 08/02/2005

Montreal, Quebec, August 2 /PR Direct/ - On Friday July 29th 2005 these three individuals were arrested at the request of the US Drug Enforcement Agency for charges involving conspiracy to traffic and produce marijuana as well as conspiracy to launder money connected to the sale of marijuana seeds over the Internet. They now face extradition to the US to answer to these charges.

While Canada and the USA have for a long time had an extradition treaty between them, nevertheless the facts of this case involve the tacit acquiescence of the Canadian government in this open conduct over the better part of the last 10 years.

Is it fair for our government to turn a blind eye for almost ten years and then to agree to assist the USA to extradite its own citizens?

In our view the conduct of the Canadian Government on this matter in agreeing to assist the USA in the extradition of these three Canadians is an affront to our Canadian sense of justice and should shock the conscience of all Canadians.

We urge the Canadian Government to rescind its co-operation with the USA in this case and to either move ahead with a legislative agenda to regulate and tax all aspects of cannabis use and commerce or, in the alternative to enable these Canadian cannabis political activists to have their day in a Canadian court.

Withdraw from the extradition request and either charge them here or change the law.

NORML Canada stands for the regulation and taxation of all aspects of Cannabis production and sale in Canada. See our webpage www.normlcanada.ca for our full detailed "Statement of Principles and Policies".

We also feel it germane to point out that any eventual move by Canada to legalize marijuana must be accompanied by strictly enforced legislation prohibiting the export of cannabis and its derivatives so we may avoid these types of situations in the future.

- END PRESS RELEASE - 8/2/2005

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