Jodie Emery calls California marijuana vote a "step forward"

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      Voters in California rejected a ballot measure on November 2 that would have made theirs the first state to legalize marijuana. But Jodie Emery, a Vancouver resident who’s a leading member of the legalization movement, told the Straight she doesn’t see the defeat at the polls as a failure.

      “It was a huge step forward—the fact that it was taken seriously, that the debate did take place, that mainstream media covered it on a regular basis, and that we got all of our arguments and points out there,” she said by phone from Oakland.

      Proposition 19—or the Regulate, Control and Tax Cannabis Act of 2010—failed in a vote that went 46.1 for and 53.9 percent against.

      Emery, the wife of Marc Emery—who is serving a five-year sentence in a U.S. federal prison for selling marijuana seeds—maintained that the “yes” campaign did everything right. She argued that the measure failed as a result of a powerful push from groups that profit from the prohibition of marijuana.

      “There were a lot of growers and dispensary owners who were telling their medical-marijuana patients that they were going to lose their rights and just spreading a lot of misinformation,” Emery said. “Really, it was just to protect their own profits.”

      Emery argued that the legalization of marijuana in California would likely have translated into a decrease in violent crime in British Columbia. “It would have reduced the price of marijuana so much that the gangs in B.C. wouldn’t have been able to compete,” she said.

      At the same time, Emery continued, Canada’s Conservative government is intensifying efforts to combat marijuana cultivation and distribution with heavy-handed law-enforcement tactics. “And there are numerous studies that show that when prohibition is more strictly enforced, that drug violence gets worse and the cartels make more money,” she said. “So with the Conservative government’s current campaign, we’re going to see the situation in Canada worsen.”


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      Comments

      10 Comments

      Ray I

      Nov 3, 2010 at 4:52pm

      Funny, that is what the Democrats said about last night's ass-whopping. Polish that turd all you want but it still smells like shit. The BC economy needs pot to be illegal in the US but all Jodie wants to do is sell them more seeds. Do you really wanna join Marc in the US prison system?

      Seriously if the Emery's get busted again will all his blind followers finally admit that they are in it for the financial gain?

      Tommy

      Nov 3, 2010 at 5:12pm

      Yea sounds like sour grapes Ray. Another man's success is your worst nightmare. Just because you didn't have the people skills or the brains to do it yourself. Just another sorry sap just looking to demonize another so that you can feel good about your unimportant little life. Your sh!t attitude is what stinks Ray and your opinions are delusional

      Isabel Sanford

      Nov 3, 2010 at 5:31pm

      She's sounding so positive now but when a few of us last night tried posting IMs telling her to stay positive, she scoffed at it and said "Get Real." that's real positive for you.

      tim D.

      Nov 3, 2010 at 6:31pm

      there is a really good documentary made by a gentleman from Kelowna that everyone who has a stake in this issue should watch. It should be in the schools to as a grade 12 debate.
      Google" Marijuana the Union "and it will pop up on Utube in 11 10 minute installments. It is well worth watching. The continuation of prohibition does nothing but drive the prices up and make crimelords and lawyers rich while sucking money from Medicare, education and social programs.

      Flutie Flambert

      Nov 3, 2010 at 8:31pm

      The latest and very recent Gallup poll shows 46% of Americans approve of recreational cannabis legalization - and that figure has been growing steadily by 2% every year.

      It's just a matter of time. Just like the Berlin wall, prohibition will crumble.

      out of work

      Nov 3, 2010 at 9:37pm

      everybody's got to live, as well as they can, the numbers of disenfranchised people are growing, thanks to big business. these people are not just going to give up the ghost and die, nor should they, a door closes, a window opens, an unregulated economy is as good as any, so long as wealth is spread, that's how we all stay rich.

      Georgina

      Nov 4, 2010 at 7:19am

      Anybody who watched to biographical movie about Marc Emery called "Prince of Pot" witnessed how he bullies Jodie. Marc broke Canadian law. He broke US law. He bullies his wife. He is not a hero.

      cuz

      Nov 4, 2010 at 11:09am

      Hey Tommy - GROW UP!!! Just because you disagree with someone's position is no reason to be rude.

      Movement

      Nov 4, 2010 at 4:09pm

      I, too, didn't appreciate the way she was acting negative that night. Several people told her to stay positive, or keep her spirits up and she was quite frankly, rude. She also named the name of a man I have known for years and slammed him on a personal level, all because he didn't help out the Proposition. In my humble opinion, not everyone is going to be for your certain proposition, but that doesn't mean they aren't for the movement and many people have worked hard and long years for this movement, longer than she's been around, and they don't deserve to be belittled like that. Also if she really is running for office in Canada, she needs to learn that if things don't go your way, instead of flipping out like a child and naming names, you should keep a sense of elegance about you. Flip out in private, but not in front of the world. If you want to advance your cause you need to act a little more civil.

      Jodie Joanna Emery

      Nov 5, 2010 at 2:00pm

      I was disappointed that night, so of course I was sad and upset. The drug policy reform movement -- and everyone who will now have their lives destroyed under continued prohibition -- was betrayed by the marijuana base of growers and dealers. Hundreds of thousands, or even millions, of people around the world were crestfallen with the results too. Watching those negative numbers not even battle for a while, just seeing a resounding defeat, was depressing and upsetting. I never "flipped out" at anyone, I just spoke as I always do, and the next morning I felt better after having dealt with the crush of defeat. Many others felt the same as I did; why should I be condemned for it? People like honest, open, real personalities -- that's why we have so many supporters and fans. They like how accessible and expressive we are. They go through the actual emotional experience with us. That's the point!

      As for seed sales, Marc's business was shut down in 2005 and no seeds have been sold since.