Healthcare Policy

Healthcare Policy 19(3) February 2024 : 29-32.doi:10.12927/hcpol.2024.27263
Discussion and Debate

Commentary: The Conflict Between Protecting Public Health and Raising Tax Revenue

Wayne Hall

Abstract

When Canada created a legal market for cannabis, it gave priority to public health by restricting marketing using branding and promotion via social and other media sources. These restrictions to protect the public from harmful use are under increasing pressure from the legal cannabis industry, which claims that they prevent them from outcompeting and replacing the illicit market. Public health advocates are reasonably concerned that these restrictions will not hold given our experience with alcohol, tobacco and gambling where governments' fiscal dependence on tax revenue favours the liberalization of regulation.

 

Comments

Be the first to comment on this!

Note: Please enter a display name. Your email address will not be publically displayed