August 9, 2016 Cannabis Legalization and Regulation Secretariat Address locator 0602E Ottawa, ON K1A 0K9 via email: cannabis@canada.ca Reducing the Role of Organized Crime in the Cannabis Industry Through Inclusive Regulations Dear Members of the Marijuana Legalization and Regulation Task Force (the “Task Force”): On behalf of the Canadian Drug Policy Coalition (CDPC), the Cannabis Trade Association of Canada (CTAC) and the Craft Cannabis Association of British Columbia (CCABC) we would like to thank the Task Force for the opportunity to make submissions on this vital matter. As the government embarks upon the path to legalizing the possession, production and distribution of cannabis and related products, a recurring theme resounds: that organized crime (i.e. criminal gangsters and gun-runners) are currently involved in, and may attempt to infiltrate the regulated industry. Our three groups are making submissions to the Task Force to address the role of organized crime in the cannabis industry from three different perspectives: the evidence-base; the legal, policy and regulatory framework; and that of cannabis consumers and producers. In our submissions, we all agree that a primary goal of legalization is to reduce the role of organized crime. You will find in the CDPC’s submission that the evidence suggests a relatively low involvement of organized crime in the cannabis industry in Canada; the majority of those in the industry tend to be nonviolent and have minimal, if any, involvement with other criminal activities. CTAC ‘s submission encourages government to leverage the existing knowledge base of the cannabis industry to create an inclusive, sustainable and transparent legalized structure. In the CCABC’s submission you will hear about the consumers and producers in the current cannabis market and their desire to be part of the new legal industry. These three submissions recommend the government base any new cannabis regulations on the best available evidence, to allow for a balanced approach that further restricts the operation of organized crime, while allowing the participation of a variety of independent producers and retailers in the emerging legal market. We invite you to meet with us to discuss our recommendations. We further suggest a formal dialogue among the key service providers and other stakeholders to assist throughout the regulatory review and drafting process. Respectfully submitted,
Donald MacPherson
Rosy Mondin
Sarah Campbell
Executive Director Canadian Drug Policy Coalition dmacpher@sfu.ca
Executive Director Cannabis Trade Alliance of Canada rosy@sustainablecannabis.ca
Director Craft Cannabis Association of BC sarah@craftcannabis.ca