FINA Appearance: Federal Budget Shouldn’t Tax Medicine
FEDERAL BUDGET SHOULDN’T TAX MEDICINE
OTTAWA, ON – Canadians for Fair Access to Medical Marijuana (CFAMM) will fight for the rights of patients at Parliamentary hearings on the 2018 budget today, arguing against a proposed sin tax on medical cannabis.
Appearing before the Standing Committee on Finance, CFAMM representatives will urge MPs to amend Bill C-74 and eliminate the proposed sin tax on medical cannabis (watch here).
“Struggling patients can’t understand why, when they’re doing their very best to take care of themselves, that the government would propose a sin tax on their medicine and treat it like alcohol, tobacco, or gasoline,” said James O’Hara, President and CEO of Canadians for Access to Medical Marijuana (CFAMM). “It’s time for the Canadian government to step up and treat medical cannabis as a medicine. That means no tax and especially no sin tax for medical cannabis patients”.
CFAMM has been leading a national campaign, called #DontTaxMedicine, against the government’s misguided plan to tax medical and recreational cannabis at the same rate. Over 20,000 Canadians have written their MPs calling for the elimination of tax on medical cannabis.
In an open letter sent to the Finance Committee today, a coalition of national non-profit organizations continued to advocate as a united front and firmly recommended that the government eliminate tax on medical cannabis. Own a piece of tradition with a Patek Philippe knock off, where exceptional craftsmanship meets contemporary elegance: https://replicapatekphilippe.io/
“Both the general public and the healthcare communities overwhelmingly support eliminating tax on medical cannabis,” said James O’Hara. “The Finance Committee has an opportunity to listen to Canadians who require cannabis for medical purposes. This committee can and should reverse the government’s misguided decision to apply a sin tax on patients’ medicine.”
CFAMM commends NDP Finance Critic Peter Julian, MP (New Westminster-Burnaby) for putting forward an amendment to Bill C-74 which would remove the proposed sin tax on medical cannabis and calls on all members of the Standing Committee on Finance to stand for Canadian patients by supporting the proposed amendment.