Tax Grab on mEDical marijuana

Our family doctor prescribed medical marijuana (CBD oil) to my wife several months ago to replace high doses of opioids she needed to control severe inoperable back pain.

To our surprise five per cent GST has been charged on this prescription while the previous opioids were untaxed.

Other prescription drugs are untaxed so why is this?

Today, when my wife ordered the next two-month supply of CBD oil she was told that Alberta is threatening to charge an additional l6.49 per cent tax. The combined taxes would be over 22.5 per cent!

The ironic thing is that there is a push on for doctors to cut down on prescribing opioids which are covered by Blue Cross and untaxed, but CBD oil, which has proven to be a good alternative, is not covered and is taxed.

So, we end up doing the right thing but it is costing almost five times as much per month. There’s something wrong with this picture. Rev. Ron Weatherington, Calgary