The Saskatchewan government has some concerns over the proposed 2018 legalization of marijuana across Canada — but some people say they're happy the change is coming.

The federal mandate would allow people to possess up to 30 grams of cannabis, as long as they're over 18.

"I think it's great, I think it's about time that marijuana was legalized," said Ken Sailor, a former member of the Saskatchewan Marijuana Party. 

Sailor feels legalization will have several unseen benefits, such as fewer people going through the court system charged with drug possession.

He says he's often surprised that conservative-minded politicians are against, or at least leery, of legalization.

Local reaction is starting to roll in after the federal government announced its plans for the legalization of recreational marijuana.

Pickering resident Marko Ivancicevic is a long-time marijuana activist in Durham and a partner in Cannabis Consultants of Canada, a company that assists medical marijuana users with obtaining authorization to possess and produce cannabis legally.

He welcomed the government's announcement.

"Obviously, like many Canadians I'm happy youth will not be saddled with simple possession charges, as well as any other individuals with simple possession charges," he said.

The government has said the new legislation will kick in no later than July 2018, but marijuana remains illegal until then except for medical marijuana users.

An article that was circulated online Thursday had many people believing marijuana had been legalized in Texas, but that was just a pipe dream.

Many people wrote and called KPRC 2 asking about the article, which stated that the Lone Star State had legalized cannabis. The article appeared to have originated from a website aimed at pranking friends with fake news stories.

Recreational marijuana is still illegal for Texans, and there is only one lawful use for medical marijuana in the state -- treating patients suffering from intractable epilepsy.

Icelandic post-rock group Sigur Rós have unveiled plans for a new range of cannabis edibles.

The group have buddied up with cannabis brand Lord Jones for the project, launching their own own THC edibles.

The limited edition 'Wild Sigurberry' gumdrops use a mixture of Icelandic flavours, inspired by foraged berries.

The range will come in five levels of potency, and will available from outlets in California - they can be ordered HERE.

Lord Jones founder Robert Rosenheck said: "For us, it really is a dream come true to collaborate with Sigur Rós. Their music has been more than an inspiration to us over the years".

With the legal cannabis industry generating $6.9 billion in sales in 2016, up 34% from 2015, it’s a no-brainer to say that much is at stake as the business inevitably grows. Much like the independent movie biz, the cannabis industry attracts investors looking for high-risk, high-reward investments, and as marijuana goes more mainstream, so does the funding mechanisms for the industry’s businesses. Just recently, numerous investment firms have cropped up, announcing themselves as major entities in the billion-dollar industry.

The federal Liberal government is expected to table legislation to legalize recreational marijuana on Thursday (April 13), exactly one week ahead of the world’s annual 4/20 celebration of all things cannabis.

The proposed law will be debated in Parliament. Then it’s likely that each province and territory will require some time to work out regulatory details.

In the meantime, long-time advocates for marijuana reform want to know if Ottawa has any plans to provide relief on past offences.

Regardless of how you feel personally about recreational marijuana, the majority of Illinoisans and the vast majority of Chicagoans support marijuana legalization. According to a recent poll from a public policy institute at Southern Illinois University, 66 percent of voters in the state support recreational marijuana, while 74 percent of Chicagoans are in favor of legalization. Citing these and other statistics, state lawmakers and marijuana reform advocates held a press conference in Chicago on Wednesday to unveil a new approach to making pot legal in the Land of Lincoln.

The spice outbreaks of altered behaviour in Manchester and Wrexham have hit the headlines. Scare stories and images of so-called zombie–like behaviour (people being completely intoxicated and sometimes frozen in an unresponsive state), have become commonplace. Although these terms sound perjorative, this is not scaremongering - these behavioural changes show the profound impact that new powerful forms of synthetic cannabinoids can have on users. So what is spice, why do we have it, and what can we do to mitigate its possible harms?

Weed lovers/worshipers now have a church to call home, and naturally … it’s in Denver, and of course … it’s opening April 20.

Elevation Ministries — a Colorado-based religious org — announced the launch of the International Church of Cannabis, which will be a “spiritual home to adults who seek to become the best version of themselves” … with bud.

Congregation members calls themselves Elevationists, and their mission statement sounds right on point: deepening and accelerating one’s spiritual journey of self-discovery. Again, with bud.

Ottawa will have to launch a series of negotiations as soon as it tables its long-awaited bill to legalize marijuana on Thursday, needing to strike deals with the Senate, the provinces and the U.S. government in its bid to lift the 94-year-old prohibition on the drug.

For starters, the Liberals will need to adopt a raft of legislative changes in the House of Commons, where they have a solid majority, but also through an independent Senate that is increasingly asserting its desire to study and amend government bills.