The self-described "Prince of Pot" addressed Vancouver City Hall Tuesday, fighting the decision not to license his three marijuana-themed businesses.

Cannabis activist Marc Emery applied for three licenses in December; for his Cannabis Culture magazine, paraphernalia store, and his convenience store on Hastings Street. On April 9, all of the applications were denied.

City employees defended the decision, citing Emery's 2004 arrest for drug trafficking. In his defense, Emery says he was merely passing a joint.

Emery says the city's decision is hypocritical, considering roughly 10,000 marijuana users were able to publicly smoke the drug on April 20 in front of the Vancouver Art Gallery.

He argued that compared to drunk and rowdy nightclub patrons his clientele has never caused problems in Vancouver.

"Every weekend that we've been on that block for 15 years, the police have never been called to address any street disorder, for 15 years in our building and around our building," he said.

The Cannabis Culture store sells bongs and pipes for pot smoking, clothing, books, games and DVDs - like many other paraphernalia stores in the Lower Mainland.

But other stores, like national tobacco and herb-smoking paraphernalia chain Puff Pipes, are being allowed licences.

Claire Brousseau, manager of Puff Pipes on Main Street, says that her business' "strict use of terminology" and insistence that marijuana smoking not take place within their walls has kept them safe from controversy.

Emery's store, like others in the Lower Mainland, has been known to take a looser approach.

But while Cannabis Culture Headquarters may have once had a "vapor lounge" - a room for supervised marijuana smoking - Emery says the service was removed six weeks ago.

"To be disrespected like this now is really in poor taste I think," Emery said. "This city should appreciate me."

Emery's appeal is scheduled to last at least until the end of July, which leaves plenty of time for the outspoken marijuana activist to drum up support for his cause - and the public may be on his side.

An Angus Reid Strategies poll released earlier before the provincial election suggested that 65 per cent of British Columbians see marijuana legalization as a viable solution to the province's gang problem.