Marc Emery: A Cannabis Activist’s Journey Through Trials and Triumphs

Between Emery’s illicit profits from paraphernalia and marijuana seed sales, Canadian businessman Marc Emery, “Prince of Pot,” sure made a name for himself.

Marc Emery challenged the system before dispensaries were legal in Canada or the US. Dubbed the “Prince of Pot,” Marc Scott Emery built his reputation on openly disregarding both Canadian and US laws on cannabis prohibition. Marc Emery was a huge supporter of various marijuana legalization groups and heavily opposed the war on drugs.

Marc Emery operated within numerous political parties over the decades. Throughout this time, Marc Emery also worked with drug legalization lobbyists and was a founding member of the Marijuana Party of Canada. Shortly after, he also helped to found the British Columbia Marijuana Party.

Marc’s legal trouble started in 1994 after he opened Hemp BC. His store was raided several times over the years, and Emery was eventually banned from the block where the store was located.

In 2005, at the request of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Emery was arrested by Canadian police for selling marijuana seeds in the U.S. His arrest resulted in a five-year prison sentence, which Marc Emery served just over four years of, having received 235 days of good conduct credit.

After Marc and his wife, Jodie Emery, opened numerous illegal dispensaries on December 15th, 2016, Marc was arrested again the next day. After being released in 2014, Marc and Jodie were both arrested at Toronto Pearson International Airport in 2017. Five of their Cannabis Culture dispensaries were raided along with four different homes connected to the dispensary chain.

The canna pair eventually pleaded guilty, receiving two years’ probation instead of jail time. Marc Emery argued that these raids served the interests of the elite and not the public.

Today, Marc and Jodie Emery are no longer married, and Marc Emery has recently been engaged to a new partner.

Marc Emery started his entrepreneurship at a young age. At 9, Emery ran a small business selling stamps, and then used comic books. Later, from 1975 to 1992, he ran a bookstore he purchased after dropping out of high school.

In 1994, Marc Emery opened Hemp BC in Vancouver, selling illicit cannabis paraphernalia. Marc Emery soon began selling marijuana seeds, despite the laws against it. Marc Emery then founded Cannabis Canada Magazine in 1995, which later rebranded as Cannabis Culture magazine. Creating his seed bank business, Emery Seed, he became one of the top sellers of marijuana seeds in North America.

Allegations of sexual harassment also burden Marc Emery’s legacy. In 2019, a woman came forward to accuse Emery of sexual harassment. Emery, however, has denied these allegations. The media, on the other hand, claim this was an open secret within the Canadian cannabis community.

Emery denies the allegations against him, with the Vancouver Sun quoting Emery, “I am a touchy guy probably, but I would like to think that it was modest non sexual touching always.” Still, due to these accusations, he was removed as a keynote speaker for the First International Cannabis Seminar. Emery also faced the withdrawal of his lifetime achievement award nomination at the Legalized Summit. Jodie Emery was also impacted by being removed as a speaker at the Legalized Summit.

Despite Marc Emery’s controversies and allegations, he was instrumental in helping to shape the cannabis community in Canada. Between his work within the marijuana legalization movement and his mail-order business selling cannabis seeds, Emery was a major player.

Marc Emery is one to watch, whether you’re just joining the industry or learning more about its key players. While worth knowing, Marc Emery may not be someone to be unquestioningly admired.

In the end, Marc Emery helped bring cannabis legalization to the forefront. However, Marc Emery remains a controversial industry player.

After all the scandals, you may be wondering, Where is Marc Emery now? Marc Emery still lives in British Columbia, Canada, and participates in both cannabis and political activism. He has continued to be outspoken for political parties like the People’s Party of Canada.