Pubdate: Fri, 21 Oct 2016
Source: Winnipeg Free Press (CN MB)
Copyright: 2016 Winnipeg Free Press
Contact: http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/send_a_letter
Website: http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/502
Author: Mia Rabson
Page: A3

GRITS' PLAN TO LEGALIZE POT HAZY: PROVINCE

Task force to release report next month; Stefanson calls for
'clarity'

OTTAWA - The Manitoba government said Ottawa must provide more
information about its plans to legalize marijuana as soon as possible
because the provinces have work to do in order to implement the change.

Justice Minister Heather Stefanson said all her provincial
counterparts agreed at their recent meeting in Halifax they're going
to need details before legislation is introduced.

"We need to know what the framework is going to look like so we can
prepare," she said.

The federal government has said it intends to begin the legislative
process to legalize marijuana next spring, but it hasn't released details.

A task force led by former health minister Anne McLellan is studying
the issue.

Bill Blair, former Toronto police chief-turned Liberal MP, said this
week the issue is complex, but he spent two hours on the phone with
the task force Monday, and its members will be ready to deliver their
report on time next month.

Provincial health ministers got an update from McLellan Tuesday during
their meeting in Toronto, but Stefanson said the province is still
mostly in the dark about the direction Ottawa intends to take.

"Whatever happens, they have to provide clarity," she said.

The province could have to pass its own legislation or regulations on
aspects of the change, including the setting of an impaired-driving
limit, as well as determining whether police and court resources
require adjustments and how and where marijuana will be sold.

Stefanson said distribution is going to fall under provincial
jurisdiction.

Manitoba's former NDP government was leaning toward marijuana sales at
provincial liquor stores, which is also the route Ontario Premier
Kathleen Wynne has said she prefers.

Federal Health Minister Jane Philpott has said that's not the only
option available. Earlier this year, McLellan said regardless of what
the provinces decide, implementation has to be done slowly and
incrementally, pointing to experiences south of the border.

Pot is sold legally in Alaska, Colorado, Oregon and Washington state.
The District of Columbia also decriminalized possession, but it is
still illegal to buy it there. Five others - California, Arizona,
Nevada, Maine and Massachusetts - have put retail sales legalization
propositions on their Nov. 8 election ballots.

The four weed-legal states have all chosen different taxation methods,
from a sales tax at the cash register to a levy at the production
level. State revenues from pot sales have been much higher than what
was anticipated, and taxes are being reduced, in large part, because
legal sales haven't taken a big enough bite out of black market
distribution.

Colorado legalized marijuana two years ago. In the 2015-16 fiscal
year, state records show the revenue haul from taxes and licence fees
topped $156 million. About 85 per cent of that was from retail, not
medical marijuana. Colorado has a 2.9 per cent sales tax on retail
marijuana as well as a 10 per cent special sales tax and a 15 per cent
excise tax on wholesale weed. The special sales tax will be lowered to
eight per cent next July.

Earlier this month, Colorado introduced new regulations for edible
marijuana products, which have been purchased in greater numbers than
expected. One of the big changes is the requirement for better, more
detailed labelling.

Stefanson said Manitoba is already working on a harm-reduction
strategy to address the dangers of marijuana as well as trying to find
a way to have the province involved on the production side.
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MAP posted-by: Matt