Ian Bastage
Well-Known Member
As the process of legalization of cannabis finally starts to shift into gear, I thought a thread of relevant info might be interesting to some. I will update as time allows. But please help . . .
To read the bill as it stands:
Bill C-45
An Act respecting cannabis and to amend the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, the Criminal Code and other Acts
Short Title: Cannabis Act
As the public hearings process starts next week, here are snippets from some of the submissions to the HESA - Standing Committee on Health. They will listen to experts etc & then (after 5 days or so) forward any recommendations to the legislature.
Reading through the positions is interesting because each party has their own vested interests. Some will be adopted & some won't make it. At this point, it seems as if JT & the Feds want to quickly pass it & throw it to the provinces. That way they will live up to their promise & the buck will pass so the provinces get blamed for the inevitable delays.
Aurora Cannabis:
Canadian Cancer Society:
Aphria:
Arthritis Society:
Green Organic Dutchman (New LP with small multiple-strain grows — not retail yet)
C.D. Howe Institute:
Drug Free Kids Canada:
Tilray:
A total of 75 submissions will be considered.
Note: There is a parellel bill that will deal with the changes to the Criminal Code: See Bill C-46
To read the bill as it stands:
Bill C-45
An Act respecting cannabis and to amend the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, the Criminal Code and other Acts
Short Title: Cannabis Act
As the public hearings process starts next week, here are snippets from some of the submissions to the HESA - Standing Committee on Health. They will listen to experts etc & then (after 5 days or so) forward any recommendations to the legislature.
Reading through the positions is interesting because each party has their own vested interests. Some will be adopted & some won't make it. At this point, it seems as if JT & the Feds want to quickly pass it & throw it to the provinces. That way they will live up to their promise & the buck will pass so the provinces get blamed for the inevitable delays.
Aurora Cannabis:
- We would urge the Federal government to consider including the following products singularly or in a wider class on the schedule: Concentrates (Previously classed as resins ie: hashish), Vape Liquids, Topicals & Creams, Edibles, Drinks, & Food products.
Canadian Cancer Society:
- Minimum age 21.
- Smoking & vaping should be banned everywhere smoking tobacco is banned.
Aphria:
- recommends that the Government of Canada introduce a strict product-testing regime, similar to regimes currently operable in the pharmaceutical industry. The costs associated with the new regime should be funded by the industry.
- recommends that the Government of Canada allow for the continued operation of the current medical cannabis program.
- recommends that the Government of Canada allow for the distribution of medical and recreational cannabis through pharmacies.
Arthritis Society:
- Enable pharmacy distribution: Pharmacies should have exclusive authority to retail medical cannabis.
- Remove sales tax for medical cannabis.
- Facilitate insurance coverage.
Green Organic Dutchman (New LP with small multiple-strain grows — not retail yet)
- information such as company name, strain name, price, amounts of THC and CBS and warnings and other labeling requirements, should be the only material included on packaging and labelling.
- In our view, adopting such a restrictive approach to labeling will not serve Canadians well. We must be mindful that many Canadians are not well-informed about cannabis, and the variety of products which will soon be available to them. (All of the LPs also addressed this same point about packaging & advertising)
C.D. Howe Institute:
- To ensure that the black market is effectively minimized, the federal tax rate should not exceed the current GST rate (5 percent). Assuming a pre-tax price of $7.50 per gram, a 5 percent sales tax results in about 88 percent of the market shifting to legal consumption and $216 million in federal tax revenues
Drug Free Kids Canada:
- public consumption to be prohibited, more than for tobacco and alcohol, including significant penalties for public consumption
- edible product should not be permitted, unless there are strict controls on production (THC levels), plus childproof packaging
- explicit product liability legislation for marijuana, placing product health impact liability on producers and distributors of marijuana
Tilray:
- While the federal Taskforce on Cannabis Legalization & Regulation endorsed treating recreational and medical cannabis under the same taxation regime, we strongly oppose such a policy as it unduly burdens medical cannabis patients and could inadvertently incentivize these patients to choose recreational cannabis.
- should encourage Health Canada to expand the current 30mg/mL THC cap for cannabis oils in certain circumstances. Such a move would allow for an expanded product line — such as vaporizer oils — to better serve medical cannabis patients with a variety of conditions.
- Mail delivery should remain an option for patients and made available to recreational consumers. Providing the option of mail-order for recreational consumers as a parallel path to brick-and-mortar private retail outlets will ensure consistent supply to consumers across Canada while physical distribution systems are put in place.
A total of 75 submissions will be considered.
Note: There is a parellel bill that will deal with the changes to the Criminal Code: See Bill C-46
