The group that represents Saskatchewan cities wants the provincial government to begin consultations on its cannabis legalization strategy.

The Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association says communities will be on the front lines of controlling cannabis production, sales, and consumption.

President Gordon Barnhart says municipalities have to worry about where cannabis producers and retailers can set up shop and how to enforce bylaws.

But Barnhart says they can't even begin some of that work until they know what kind of regulatory system the province will put in place.

The federal government plans to legalize the non-medical use of marijuana by next July and the province is in the midst of a review to see what that should look like.

The province said in the throne speech last week that it will introduce legislation to govern the sale and distribution of marijuana once the review is completed this fall.