cannabisnews.com: Plenty of Pot, No Cops Plenty of Pot, No Cops Posted by CN Staff on August 15, 2003 at 08:44:23 PT By Karen Kwan, Citizen Staff Source: Prince George Citizen Police ignored a crowd of pot-smoking activists across the street from the RCMP detachment Thursday, saying they didn't want to play into B.C. Marijuana Party president Marc Emery's hands. Looking like a businessman in a suit and tie, Emery lit a massive joint at 4:20 p.m. -- the time representing the numeric symbol for marijuana -- and led the crowd in a chorus of O Canada while the pungent odour of pot wafted through the air. Several others in the group of about 50 -- made up mostly of teenagers and young people -- also lit their own joints, and Emery passed his around for others to share. The smoke-in was part of Emery's cross-country tour to promote his view that the drug is already legal in Canada, based on an Ontario Superior Court decision in May, which also upheld earlier court decisions in that province.RCMP Const. Mike Caira said police were aware people were smoking marijuana across the street, but said they didn't want to fuel Emery's bid for media attention. "If we possibly would have shown up with one or 10 police officers, Mr. Emery may have enticed the crowd into causing a mini-riot and wanting to fight the police and we weren't going to play that game," he said. But Caira said people who smoke pot still risk criminal charges, because possession of marijuana is still against the law. The federal government, however, plans to decriminalize possession of marijuana, issuing fines to people caught with small amounts of the drug instead of charging them criminally. Caira said police don't believe that by ignoring Emery's protest they're sending the message that people can flout the law.Emery has been charged in six of nine communities across the country, most recently in Edmonton last Sunday, after smoking joints in front of police stations, and said he prefers to be prosecuted so he can argue his case in court.He said he can't understand why marijuana should be illegal when things like alcohol and cigarettes cause more harm. "No matter how much alcohol you have in your house you're never going to jail. No matter how many cigarettes you own you're never going to jail," he told supporters. Emery had said he chose Prince George as the only B.C. stop on his tour because he feels it's a conservative community where a pro-marijuana event would make a big impression. But as he looked around the crowd on Thursday, he said it was probably the second largest gathering on his tour after one in St. John's, Nfld.People in the crowd agreed they should be allowed to smoke marijuana without being made a criminal, but were reluctant to be identified. "It's a very innocent offence. I don't believe it hurts anyone," said a 19-year-old UNBC computer science student. An 18-year-old girl who graduated from Prince George Secondary School this year said smoking helped her stay on the honour roll throughout Grade 12. "It expands my mind. It makes me smarter. It's also relaxing," she said after smoking from Emery's giant joint.Newshawk: 13th stepSource: Prince George Citizen (CN BC)Author: Karen Kwan, Citizen StaffPublished: Friday, August 15, 2003Copyright: 2003 Prince George CitizenContact: letters princegeorgecitizen.comWebsite: http://www.princegeorgecitizen.com/Related Articles & Web Site:Pot-TVhttp://www.pot-tv.net/Emery's Legalization Tour Hits Alberta http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread17048.shtmlBong - He's Bustedhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread17041.shtmlMarijuana Activist Fails To Get Rise Out of Cops http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16943.shtmlCannabisNews Articles -- Marc Emeryhttp://cannabisnews.com/thcgi/search.pl?K=emery Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #4 posted by Lehder on August 17, 2003 at 18:58:32 PT brain food >>An 18-year-old girl who graduated from Prince George Secondary School this year said smoking helped her stay on the honour roll throughout Grade 12. "It expands my mind. It makes me smarter. It's also relaxing," she said after smoking from Emery's giant joint.Such sweet heresy from an 18-year-old, bless her heart. It's the smart kids who smoke marijuana. It's the smartest kids who like it best, and the marijuana helps them to become even smarter. Too smart, too informed, too interested for government to manipulate their opinions. [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by afterburner on August 17, 2003 at 18:26:41 PT: "Clowning Antics"??? CN BC: Editorial: Justice System Under Siege 17 Aug 2003 Prince George Free Press http://www.mapinc.org/newscc/v03/n1234/a10.html?397 [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by Virgil on August 15, 2003 at 15:34:25 PT A brain on stupidity Mr. Emery may have enticed the crowd into causing a mini-riot and wanting to fight the police and we weren't going to play that game," he said. There is a brain on stupidity for you. As if police are necessary for a riot- a circus maybe, but not a riot. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by DeVoHawk on August 15, 2003 at 11:28:49 PT: one or 10 police officers Based on the other arrests which were completely peace loving "Mr. Emery may have enticed the crowd into causing a mini-riot and wanting to fight the police and we weren't going to play that game"."The game is lies and we are losing so we did not play" thought RCMP Const. Mike Caira is closer to the truth.I just laugh and feel so sorry for prohibitionist anymore as they refuse to play with Marc. We are winning in Cannada. It sounds like Marc picked the correct city to enjoy a little cannabis in. [ Post Comment ] Post Comment