Marc Emery 2003

To start off his talk, Medical Marijuana activist Marc Emery shares an astounding number: In Canada about 30,000 people are convicted of marijuana possession each year. That’s a conviction every six minutes. Marc admonishes the legal system’s response to marijuana use and explains the impact of prohibition. Marc also runs an addiction treatment centre. Drug abuse is a symptom of a dysfunctional society, he says, and using punitive legislation to deal with it is nothing more than a quick fix. Marc advocates for a system wherein people suffering from drug addiction are provided with the support they need, curbing the cycle of marginalization and, so, addiction.