TORONTO - Aleafia Health Inc. says former Ontario Provincial Police commissioner and federal cabinet minister Julian Fantino is resigning from the company’s board.

The Toronto-based medical cannabis company says former RCMP deputy commissioner Raf Souccar is also departing.

A release from the company did not offer any explanation for the resignations, but says they are effective May 15.

Fantino served as Aleafia’s chairman and Souccar was a director.

Fantino’s involvement in the company was met with criticism because he was a longtime cannabis opponent and once compared legalizing the substance to legalizing murder in an interview with the Toronto Sun.

Aleafia says Fantino and Souccar oversaw the acquisition of licensed cannabis producer Emblem Corp. and the company’s Port Perry, Ont. facility.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 28, 2020.

Companies in this story: (TSX:ALEF)