CORRECTION: An earlier version of this post stated Marc Emery was prohibited from contacting his wife. The bail conditions instead specified he is not allowed to contact his co-accused, not Jodie Emery, who was released by police without being charged. CLN regrets the error.
Cannabis Culture co-owner Marc Emery has been released from jail one day after being arrested by Montreal police at a newly opened franchise in the city.
The self-styled Prince of Pot, whose fellow activist wife Jodie was arrested shortly afterward at the hotel the couple were staying at, was busted along with nine others Dec. 16 during a series of raids by police at a handful of other brand-new Cannabis Culture locations across Canada’s second-largest city.
While Jodie was later released without charge, her husband has been charged with drug trafficking, possession for the purpose of trafficking and conspiracy. He was released after posting a $5,000 bond and conditions that include being prohibited from consuming non-prescription drugs (including cannabis), entering places that produce or sell cannabis, or communicating with any others arrested in the raids.
His first court date in Feb. 15, 2017, by which point recreational cannabis use in Canada could conceivably be legal.
@MarcScottEmery released from prison on bail. Next court date Feb 15. Local counsel did a fantastic job.
— KirkTousaw (@KirkTousaw) December 17, 2016
Speaking to reporters being let go on Saturday, Emery said he is not allowed to stay in Quebec and can only return if it is for a court date. He added that he was looking forward to fighting the charges in court.
“I believe our cause is just and I’m excited about it and I’m looking forward to going to court,” he told reporters after his release. “And if they are foolish enough to sentence me to jail then that’s fine for me but we will challenge this and the constitutionality of these laws that are completely illegitimate and that have always been illegitimate but now I think the citizens of Canada are now fully aware are illegitimate and that the politicians are scrambling to make changes but the changes are too slow.”
Money, equipment and more than 18 kilograms of cannabis were seized during the raids. Staff members arrested were also released on a promise to appear.