Petition to Deny Extradition to the US for Marc Emery

To: Honorable Irwin Cotler, Canadian Minister of Justice:

As per the request of the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, Marc Emery, publisher of Cannabis Culture Magazine and owner of Marc Emery Direct Seeds, was arrested on July 29, 2005. DEA director, Karen Tandy subsequently bragged that his arrest "is a significant blow not only to the marijuana trafficking trade in the US and Canada, but also to the marijuana legalization movement." Her avowed political motive, to quash the cannabis reform movement, is a brazen attempt to undermine democracy in both our nations, and should not be authorized by the Canadian government.

Emery will not get a fair trial in the USA. Federal US courts do not allow a medical marijuana defense, nor do they consider the circumstances of the case or the individual facing charges. Considering that ten US States have legalized cultivation of medical marijuana and his enterprise has been tolerated in Canada, it is outrageous that Emery faces a potential LIFE SENTENCE in an abusive US prison system, possibly even the DEATH PENALTY, were he to be extradited to the US for trial. These severe penalties for this beneficial plant are unjust and clearly in violation of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights protections against cruel and unusual punishment and cultural persecution.

Therefore we, the undersigned, urge you to reject the DEA’s request and keep Mr. Emery in Canada.