United States law enforcement officials indicted Emery in August of 2004 for selling marijuana seeds to US customers. Emery had been previously convicted by a Canadian court in 1998 for selling pot seeds and was sentenced to pay a $2,000 fine.

Upon issuing the indictment, former US DEA administrator Karen Tandy proclaimed that Emery's arrest struck "a significant blow to the marijuana legalization movement. ... Drug legalization lobbyists now have one less pot of money to rely on."

Under a plea agreement, Emery faces up to five years in US prison. Under Canadian law, he would face no more than one month in jail (and probation), if convicted.

For nearly two decades, Emery operated a highly visible seed bank in Vancouver. Emery declared hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxes to the Canadian government, and officials at Health Canada – which oversees the nation's legal medicinal cannabis program – frequently advised patients to purchase his seeds. Virtually all profits from Emery's business ventures were distributed among various national and international drug law reform organizations.

For more information, please contact Allen St. Pierre, NORML Executive Director, at (202) 483-5500 or visit: http://www.cannabisculture.com.