The majority of Canadians want B.C.'s self-proclaimed ‘Prince of Pot' to return north of the border to serve his prison sentence for marijuana offences, according to a recent survey.
In an online survey of 1,010 people by Angus Reid Public Opinion, most Canadians said the federal government should take action to bring Marc Emery home.
Emery was jailed in the U.S. in September on charges of conspiracy to manufacture marijuana, conspiracy to distribute marijuana seeds and conspiracy to engage in money laundering.
Fifty-four per cent of respondents agree with the Canadian government approving a citizen transfer. One-third of those surveyed oppose it.
The highest level of support for allowing Emery to serve his sentence in Canada is in Atlantic Canada (65 per cent) and Quebec (59 per cent).
Mario Canseco, vice president of communications for Angus Reid Public Opinion, said Emery appears to have a national appeal to Canadians.
"I don't think we'd see something like this for anyone else in jail," Canseco told ctvbc.ca. "There's a bit of a folk hero appeal when it comes to Emery in this country, especially with young people."
In September, Emery was sentenced to five years in federal prison for his crimes. Thirty-four per cent of those surveyed felt the sentence is correct for the offence, while 19 per cent say he should have been punished more. More than one-third, or 35 per cent, believes it is too harsh.
Canseco said most Canadians don't view marijuana as harshly as other so-called "hard drugs," like cocaine or crystal meth.
"So what he's pleading guilty for isn't something Canadians see as something totally terrible. He didn't do anything that was going to merit prosecution in Canada, so in that vein why not allow him to serve his sentence here?" he said.
A recent survey found that public support for the legalization of marijuana stands at 50 per cent in Canada.
Fifty-four per cent of British Columbians surveyed said they want to see marijuana legalized.
