Ottawa’s plan for excise tax on medical marijuana draws ire of patients, producers
TORONTO — The federal government’s proposed plan to impose an excise tax on medical marijuana as well as recreational cannabis has left patient advocate groups and Canadian licensed cannabis producers fuming.
Canadians for Fair Access to Medical Marijuana (CFAMM) and the Arthritis Society said in a joint statement Friday medical pot should be treated the same way as most other prescription medications and applying the excise tax to medical cannabis unfairly disadvantages patients.
“The use of medical cannabis should be recognized in line with all other prescription medications and accordingly exempt from taxation,” said Jonathan Zaid, the founder and executive director of CFAMM. “Patients have a fundamental right to have access to affordable medicine.”
Ottawa unveiled its federal tax proposal on Friday in preparation for the July 2018 deadline for the legalization of recreational marijuana in Canada, which will be up for public consultation until Dec. 7.