Longtime cannabis rights activist Marc Emery, also known as the Prince of Pot, was in Montreal Sunday afternoon, trying — of all things — to get arrested.
Emery set up shop just outside a Société québécoise du cannabis (SQDC) store on Ste-Catherine Street in downtown Montreal at around noon.
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For sale were t-shirts emblazoned with pot leaves, roach clip necklaces, baking pans and other paraphernalia — all at discount prices, and all illegal, according to Emery.
“I’m just selling them to make a point,” Emery said. “Don’t really need the money, so to speak, but I have to take money in order to get charged.”
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Emery is hoping for his day in court and a chance to strike down a provision of Quebec’s Cannabis Regulation Act.
“We cannot sell in the province of Quebec anything that promotes the use of cannabis or promotes our culture in any positive way,” he said.
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Emery is convinced he has a strong case.
“I’ve hired lawyers and we believe that this law is unconstitutional and would not survive the scrutiny of a judge,” he said.
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Emery, who has been advocating for the legalization of cannabis for over 30 years, says he’s unhappy with the current laws and argues they are getting worse by infringing on his right to celebrate cannabis culture.
“Yes, you can now buy cannabis from a government monopoly, but now you can’t show pride,” he said. “It’s totally wrong. It’s censorship.”
Emery was planning to hawk his wares until 5 p.m., or until his arrest.