By Paul Morden, Sarnia Observer
Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley said some southwestern Ontario city mayors believe municipalities should receive a cut of the federal government's income from legalizing and regulating recreational marijuana.
He made those comments as a standing committee of Lambton County passed a motion Wednesday asking county council to support a call by the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit for the federal government to consider public health issues as it moves to legalize marijuana use.
The Liberal government in Ottawa has said it will introduce legislation in spring 2017 to legalize recreational marijuana.
Bradley said the impact that it will have on municipalities was one of the issues discussed when a group of southwestern Ontario mayors met a month ago.
One of the points of discussion at that mayors' meeting was also that there “should be some revenue sharing with the municipalities, because we will have to deal directly in our communities with any issues that result from it.”
Bradley compared the marijuana issue to the successful campaign waged by municipalities to receive a share of income from casinos within their boundaries.
He said recreational marijuana will be “a cash cow” for senior governments, but the “social impacts” will be felt by municipalities.
Andrew Taylor, general manager of the county's public health services division, said legalizing of recreational marijuana is an issue Lambton should be concerned about.
He pointed to a report from 2012-13 that found more than 43 per cent of Lambton residents, age 15 and older, reported using cannabis at least once in their lifetime.
“The public health concern about this issue is that there is some framework of control,” Taylor said.
That includes taking into account the impact cannabis use has on impaired driving, brain development in youth, pregnancy and the risk of dependence, he said.
“We do want to be involved in the dialogue, as a regulatory framework is explored around cannabis,” Taylor said.
The letter from the Simcoe public health office points to a position taken by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health calling for a government monopoly on sales of marijuana, limits on hours of its sale and the setting of a minimum age for buyers.
It also calls for enhanced treatment, more spending on education and prevention, and restrictions on high-potency formulations and products designed to appeal to young people.
In April, federal Health Minister Jane Philpott said the new Canadian law will ensure marijuana is kept away from children and will keep criminals from profiting from its sale.
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