And the cost to communities that formerly grew the crop in the past? And the cost in law enforcement, judicial, and correctional services expenditures to stamp out the black market (which won't happen anyway)? And associated healthcare costs in morbidity and mortality rate increases as a result of promoting increased consumption and targeting youth as new users?

Giddily rewriting history doesn't make this structural shift a good bet for Canadians. It simply means cannabis profits will now go to retired MPs, retired police commissioners, and executives at places like Tilray, instead of staying in small communities where the produce used to be produced.