cannabisnews.com: The Halifax Police Station Goes To Pot The Halifax Police Station Goes To Pot Posted by CN Staff on July 20, 2003 at 08:24:37 PT By Davene Jeffrey, Staff Reporter Source: Halifax Herald Holding a fish-shaped bong over his head, cannabis crusader Marc Emery shouted, "To freedom!" as he lowered the pot-filled pipe to his lips. More than 50 people gathered on the steps of the Halifax Regional Police's Gottingen Street station steps Saturday afternoon in support of Mr. Emery's cross-Canada pro-pot tour. Mr. Emery, publisher of Cannabis Culture Magazine and owner of Pot-TV and Marc Emery Direct Seeds, is promoting legalization of marijuana before Parliament reconvenes in the fall. During the government's spring session, a proposed law decriminalizing marijuana possession was introduced. Possession of 15 grams of pot or less would be an offence punishable by a fine of $100 to $250 for young people and $150 to $400 for adults. Wearing a black suit, Mr. Emery frequently asked for drinks from the crowd as he pontificated about pot for about 20 minutes before lighting up. An appreciative crowd often interjected comments of support. "What's marijuana do?" he asked rhetorically. "It gets me baked," answered a young man wearing a ball cap. Mr. Emery continued: "I've driven on thousands of occasions on marijuana, and I have not felt impaired. . . . I have felt enhanced. He said he's been jailed numerous times for pot smoking and other civil disobedience. "Fire her up! Fire her up!" shouted one woman in the crowd as Mr. Emery lit up. Several people in the crowd lit joints and passed them around as Mr. Emery took his first puffs. Within moments, coughs from the crowd began drowning out Mr. Emery's words. He encouraged listeners to become politically active and support the Marijuana Party. Mr. Emery said he plans to spend today helping Marijuana Party candidate Melanie Stephen Patriquen (Hammonds Plains-Upper Sackville) canvass. Her husband, Michael, is serving a six-year sentence at Westmorland minimum security prison in New Brunswick for conspiracy to possess and sell marijuana. Although he has a medical prescription for marijuana, he has not been able to get any since being jailed. "I'm a big fan of Mark Emery's, said a young man in the crowd who would not give his name. "I think he has done great things for the movement of drug reform." Said another man, who identified himself only as T. J: "I'm here because I believe that pot should be a free thing. "It's just a plant. It makes me feel good, feel normal." Mr. Emery signed autographs for many people in the crowd and praised Halifax's stance on peaceful pot protests. At least a couple of plainclothes officers were in the crowd, listening to Mr. Emery and taking notes. Mr. Emery's toke-up tour continues with smoking events in Moncton, Charlottetown and St. John's, Nfld., in the next eight days. Note: Activist on cross-country tour lights up at cops' doorstep. Source: Halifax Herald (CN NS)Author: Davene Jeffrey, Staff ReporterPublished: Sunday, July 20, 2003Copyright: 2003 The Halifax Herald LimitedContact: letters herald.ns.caWebsite: http://www.herald.ns.ca/Related Articles & Web Site:Summer Legalization Tour: Halifax Reporthttp://www.pot-tv.net/ram/pottvshowse2077.ramLegalization Tour Hits Nova Scotia http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16904.shtmlSmoke of a Different Kind - St. John's Telegramhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16897.shtmlSummer Freedom Tour Comes To The Maritimes http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16893.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #11 posted by FoM on July 21, 2003 at 16:35:03 PT Max Flowers I really enjoyed your story. I must admit that I do have protection. He is a very big devoted male Rottweiler. When we lost our last Rott we went and bought another one the very next day. I don't feel secure without a dog. I've always had a dog or dogs and am lost without one. We left the east coast many years ago because we didn't feel secure and a few other reasons. No place is safe but some places are safer then others. [ Post Comment ] Comment #10 posted by Max Flowers on July 21, 2003 at 11:27:24 PT Ex-gun lover credits MDMA for catalyzing change Sounds like a weird news story but that's my story. Ending 8 years ago and for about 15 years I used to be very into guns. I found them fascinating as a boy (like millions of other boys) but as I turned into a young man, instead of forgetting about them, I couldn't wait to be 18 so I could buy a pistol (a .357 magnum no less). I even went to the range and practiced pretty often, and then later when I was older and was working as a P.I. in the L.A. area, crime (especially carjacking) was so bad that I took to carrying one in the car and even on me at times, until one night in 1995 I made a dumb mistake and was caught with it on me. That created my first ever arrest, a misdemeanor CCW charge. The penalty: $750 (which I absolutely could not come up with back then) or 3 days in L.A. County jail (which scared me quite a bit). While waiting to remand myself for the three days jail, stressing out, I had my first hit of E, which enabled all kinds of psychological/emotional revelations, including the fact that my thing for guns was about fear, and not really about liking guns themselves. I faced that I was fearful living where I did (L.A. southern CA area).Overnight my feelings about guns changed, and I resolved to move to an area where I could feel safer and more comfortable. I got rid of all the guns I had. I began to examine my feelings instead of hiding from them and I am a much better and more compassionate person because of it.The upshot is that when I went to remand myself for the 3 days, they wouldn't even take me, saying the jail was way too full, and offered me community service! Now why hadn't they let me know about that option before?!? I ended up cleaning trash off the L.A. beaches for three days, which itself caused many new revelations.The point of this story? I'm not sure, but I felt like sharing it. MF [ Post Comment ] Comment #9 posted by FoM on July 20, 2003 at 12:44:17 PT afterburner I looked at the link but I don't really understand anything about guns. My father ( world war vet too ) didn't believe in having a gun in the home so I never saw one. We have a gun but it was something we felt we should have on a farm. If you have a horse and it breaks its leg shooting the animal is more humane then waiting for a vet to get to your place to give them a shot. I know because we had a horse flip over backwards and he broke his neck. That's the only reason we ever bought a gun. [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by afterburner on July 20, 2003 at 12:15:46 PT: I Was Shocked to See a Rifle on CSNY's 1st Album Don't worry, FoM, we are not defenseless:Issue - Gun Registry in Canada http://canadaonline.about.com/cs/guncontrol/a/guncontrolplan.htm "The skyrocketing costs of the Canadian Firearms Registry have re-opened the acrimonious debate on the value of gun control in Canada."we would rather accomplish the good fight against cannabis prohibition with ego transcendence through public opinion, the courts and/or the Parliament, rather than the ego destruction of the gun sites. [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by FoM on July 20, 2003 at 12:04:39 PT Max Flowers Oh I knew it was sarcasm but it made me think how I would react if our government ever tried. Nothing is beyond the realm of possibility these days. [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by Max Flowers on July 20, 2003 at 11:57:35 PT Dripping with sarcasm I believe he was kidding, FoM... I think it was deep sarcasm. I got it right away.I agree that Marc is pretty courageous. That kind of thing inspires people. America needs one like him, but the price here is so high, it takes a real martyr.MF [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by FoM on July 20, 2003 at 10:32:26 PT goneposthole I agree that we could invade Canada but I don't think America as a whole would tolerate it. That would be the straw that breaks the camels back for me and I would become a protester too. They are a nation that are passive and don't have arms to protect themselves. Maybe they can have some guns. I'm really not up on gun laws and maybe a Canadian can clarify this for us. [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by goneposthole on July 20, 2003 at 10:21:07 PT Canada needs to be 'liberated' US army troops could invade Canada via Toronto. Those hapless Canadians need liberation worse than Iraq. Canadians would shower the 'liberators' with maple leaves. What makes them think they're free until the US army invades? [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by JR Bob Dobbs on July 20, 2003 at 09:52:13 PT Pot-TV coverage Marc phone interview about the Halifax gathering: http://www.pot-tv.net/archive/shows/pottvshowse-2077.htmlMarc discusses the current state of Canadian cannabis laws with attorney Brian McAllister: http://www.pot-tv.net/archive/shows/pottvshowse-2073.html [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by FoM on July 20, 2003 at 08:37:02 PT Marc Emery I've said this many times but I will say it once more. I have never met or had any correspondence with Marc Emery but his many years of experience is paying off for those in Canada and I believe in the long run it will help us too. I am an American but am proud to stand up with our Canadian neighbors! [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by Truth on July 20, 2003 at 08:31:40 PT Marc Marc Emory for president. [ Post Comment ] Post Comment