We made these comparisons especially to ensure that the basic tax measure at the outset, which is the dollar per gram, would not result in an overly high taxation level, which would run counter to the government's objectives. The government wants to get rid of the illegal market, establish a robust and legal market to protect youngsters, and ensure that profits from cannabis will not fall into the hands of criminals.
In studies done over the past year, some analyses were carried out to establish the parameters on which offences would be based. As for the excise tax on cannabis production, we first of all looked at the existing parameters for tobacco and alcohol in Canada.