Marc Emery, the self-proclaimed “prince of pot” and owner of Cannabis Culture, a Canadian chain of marijuana dispensaries, is accused of encouraging teenage girls to massage each other on the main floor of his downtown Vancouver headquarters and touching employees without consent, Vice News reports. According to several former Cannabis Culture employees who spoke to Vice News, the so-called “lotion parties” were often instigated by Emery when everyone was high. He would allegedly rub the lotion on the backs of the younger girls and encourage them to massage each other. Multiple women accused Emery of creating an uncomfortable, hyper-sexualized working environment where he would touch his employees without consent, make workers listen to stories about his sexual exploits, and discuss their sexual histories. In a Facebook post on January 16, Emery said he has not “harmed anyone, or sexually aggressed anyone.” He added that he has not had sex with anyone under the age of 19, but did admit to smoking weed with 17-year-olds. He described himself as a “touchy guy” who gave back rubs to adult women and men at his store, and openly discussed sex.
