RESIST THE TEMPTATION TO FRAME THIS AS A CASH COW

marijuana should be sold provided no clear direction.

However, it was clear there are divisions among business owners on whether legalizing marijuana is a good idea in the first place. For example, many business owners expressed concern about workplace safety and the health implications.

Still, while we have limited experience with cannabis regulation, CFIB has a wealth of experience on regulation in general — including how to get it right and what not to so. This includes experience with liquor and tobacco regulation, which offers some guidance — albeit imperfect.

Based on CFIB’s 45-year history with regulation making, here’s what I can offer:

Focus on critical regulatory imperatives: Too often, governments examine a new area where regulation is needed and quickly expand the mandate to include every moving part. This automatically means proper enforcement is near impossible. Choosing a few critical priorities, such as preventing sales to minors, ensuring proper product safety information and rules, and prohibitions at work or while driving, and then doing them well, seems to be a great place to start.

Do not view it a windfall for governments: While bringing recreational cannabis sales out of the underground economy will likely have posi-