Alberta students ask province to spend any marijuana taxes on mental health
A group of University of Alberta students want the province to roll any tax revenue raised from the legal sale of marijuana into mental health and addiction programs.
Student Advocates for Public Health say these programs are badly underfunded at a time when substance abuse is costing Alberta's health-care system about $1 billion per year.
The group says once the federal government follows through with its plan to legalize pot, Alberta should direct any provincial taxes raised from sales into bolstering services.
The Trudeau Liberals have said they plan to introduce legislation to legalize and regulate the recreational use of pot this spring, but it is not clear when the bill would be put to a final vote.
In December, a task force recommended that federal and provincial governments use money raised from legal cannabis sales to fund prevention, education and treatment programs.
The Alberta government says it expects to have rules by next year to govern the sale of marijuana for recreational use.
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