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One cannabis excise stamp to rule them all

Published on December 20, 2024 by Pat Bulmer

Cannabis excise stamp on a weed bag from BC Photo: David Wylie/the oz.
A cannabis excise stamp used in BC. The federal government is considering a common stamp across the country.

One slice of inter-provincial bureaucracy for cannabis producers may be removed next year—the cannabis excise stamp.

Ottawa’s Fall Economic Statement, released on Monday, included a promise to “explore a transition from cannabis excise duty stamps specific to each province and territory to a single, national stamp.”

“This would make it easier for regulated cannabis producers to ignite new business opportunities in other provinces,” the statement said. “More details will roll out in Budget 2025.”

Chrystia Freeland was supposed to deliver the statement on Monday, but she resigned as finance minister earlier in the day, triggering hours of political intrigue and drama. The document was released later in the day with little fanfare.

Cannabis producers must put a stamp on all products.

“The stamps come in different colours depending on the province in which the product is intended to be sold in,” explains a webpage on the topic from Fuse Insurance.

“The purpose of the cannabis stamping regime is to show that the product was produced legally, and applicable duties are paid (and) allow law enforcement agencies, retailers and consumers to more easily identify counterfeit and contraband products,” says Health Canada on its website.

Many cannabis companies complain about the amount of excise taxes they’re paying and how the taxes are assessed.

In a news release, the Cannabis Council of Canada said the economic statement failed to help the cannabis sector, although it acknowledged streamlining the stamping system “would come at no cost to the government and would stimulate business growth, job creation, and investment in innovation.”

“The government’s continued neglect of the cannabis sector is alarming,” said council president Paul McCarthy. “Their unfair taxation policies are creating an unsustainable environment for legal businesses, forcing many to close their doors and driving consumers back to the illicit market.