Marijuana promoter a target

Canadians find 'Prince of Pot' harmless; DEA begs to differ Sweet marijuana smoke tumbles down the steps from "the Vapor Lounge," a corner of Marc Emery's Vancouver, Canada, bookstore where customers toke up at will.

"We get high with everybody," Emery says, shrugging. "This is a pilgrimage spot, and people come here from all over the world. We get high."

Illegal? Yes.

So were the seeds he used to keep in a case in the store, with exotic names like Afghan Dream and Chemo Grizzly. So was the booming business he ran, complete with glossy seed catalogues describing the varieties' subtle and sublime nuances. ("Nebula: Fruity flavor and scent. Transcendental buzz. Harvest outdoor.") So, for that matter, are the other marijuana businesses that have sprouted up in the block around his bookstore. The street is nicknamed "Vansterdam,"with pot-hazy cafes, head shops filled with pipes and bongs, and neon signs advertising illegal seed sales.

Until recently, nobody much cared, it seemed. The police hadn't bothered to come around for eight years. Before that, they busted Emery for seed sales and raided him four times. But he just got fined, and the police stopped trying. By DOUG STRUCK The Washington Post