`Prince of pot' to serve time for US drug distribution

A Canadian marijuana activist said on Monday he had agreed to serve time in prison as part of a plea agreement with US prosecutors who accused him of conspiring to distribute marijuana seeds over the Internet to US customers.

Marc Emery, 50, known as "the prince of pot" in Canada, had been facing extradition on charges that he distributed millions of cannabis seeds to buyers in the US at an annual profit of C$3 million (US$2.9 million).

Emery, leader of a group called the British Columbia Marijuana Party, said he was told by lawyers there was no hope of refuting the allegations. He said under the agreement he would have to serve at least five years of a 10-year prison sentence. He expects to serve most of the time in Canada.

The offer includes no jail time for his co-accused Greg Williams and Michelle Rainey.

Emery that is especially important for Rainey who smokes marijuana to control symptoms of Crohn's disease, a painful digestive-tract disorder.

He said it was one of the reasons he considered the offer.

"Well, what if something did happen in jail to her?" said Emery. "You know I would always be responsible."

The plea agreement still needs the approval of the Canadian Department of Justice, which Emery believes will not oppose it.