EARLY HUSTLE (1958–1993)

Born in London, Ontario, Emery grew up as a teen entrepreneur flipping stamps before running City Lights Bookshop. He stocked banned zines and libertarian literature while railing against censorship and Sunday-shopping laws.

ROAD TO VANCOUVER (1994)

Emery headed west and opened Hemp BC, Canada’s first modern headshop. A trip to the High Times Cannabis Cup lit the fuse, inspiring him to begin stocking grow books and seeds.

SEED BANK BOOM (1995–2005)

He launched Emery Seeds as a mail-order business, openly paying taxes labeled “marijuana seed vendor.” Proceeds funded legalization drives, rallies, and court battles across North America.

MEDIA MACHINE

Emery built Cannabis Canada magazine (later Cannabis Culture) and Pot TV, creating one of the first broadcast hubs for activists, growers, and cannabis users long before YouTube.

CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE POLITICS

In 2000, he founded the BC Marijuana Party, fielding 79 candidates to force prohibition into the headlines. Emery staged rallies, smoke-ins, and acts of open defiance—passing joints on police doorsteps and racking up arrests nationwide.

CLASH WITH THE STATE (2005–2010)

The U.S. DEA and Canadian police busted Emery for shipping seeds south. Extradited to Seattle, he pled guilty and served five years in U.S. prisons before returning to Canada in 2014 to cheering supporters and his activist wife, Jodie Emery.

DISPENSARY DEFIANCE (2014–2018)

Pre-legalization, Emery opened Cannabis Culture storefronts across Canada, daring raids in Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver. He pled guilty to trafficking charges but framed each bust as political protest.

CONTROVERSY & RESPONSE (2019–2024)

In 2019, Emery faced misconduct allegations that led to event removals and backlash. No charges were filed. He denied wrongdoing while continuing cannabis advocacy under close public scrutiny.

LEGALIZATION ERA (2018–2025)

Following Canada’s adult-use legalization, Emery shifted into commentary, seed consulting, and fringe politics, briefly joining the People’s Party. He continues to tour, write, and court cameras—part hero, part lightning rod.

LEGACY

Marc Emery turned seeds into war chests, books and broadcasts into activist archives, and arrest records into headlines that helped drag Canada from prohibition to policy reform. Whether praised or criticized, his relentless presence proved how one loud voice could reshape two nations.

Even as the smoke clears in Canada, Emery remains the Prince of Pot.

YOUTUBE VIDEO

— Nugg Notes 🪴

SOURCES:

• Early hustle (1958–1993): born in London, Ontario; teen stamp/comic mail-order; ran City Lights Bookshop; fought censorship & Sunday-shopping laws. 

• Road to Vancouver (1994) & Hemp BC: moved to Vancouver; opened Hemp BC; began selling seeds after the High Times Cup; launched Cannabis Canada (later Cannabis Culture). 

• Seed bank boom (1995–2005): operated mail-order seed business; paid Canadian taxes labeled “marijuana seed vendor”; claimed ~$600k taxes over the period. 

• Media machine: founded Cannabis Culture magazine (1995/1998 rename) & Pot TV (2000) as an early activist media hub. 

• Civil-disobedience politics: helped found the BC Marijuana Party (2000/2001); party fielded candidates across 79 ridings in 2001. 

• Clash with the state (2005–2010): U.S. indictment & Canadian arrest (2005); extradited (2010); pled guilty in Seattle; sentenced to 5 years; released in 2014. 

• Dispensary defiance (2014–2018): Cannabis Culture storefronts raided; Marc & Jodie Emery pled guilty in Toronto (Dec 18, 2017); fines & 2-year probation. 

• Controversy & response (2019–2024): multiple misconduct allegations reported; event removals; no criminal charges reported in these articles; Emery denied allegations. 

• Legalization era & ongoing role: post-release interviews & commentary; continued activism & fringe politics (incl. PPC support/candidacy). 

• Profile/moniker: mainstream coverage as “Prince of Pot.”