MARSHALL — Using cannabis in Marshall parks and public places will be prohibited under new city ordinances introduced this week. However, smoking tobacco in parks and recreation facilities would also be banned, Marshall city staff said.

The council’s Legislative & Ordinance Committee thought banning the smoking of both tobacco and cannabinoids in parks and recreation facilities would help the police officers enforcing the ordinance, said council member James Lozinski.

“The reason why we went to ban smoking completely was to make it easier for our law enforcement,” Lozinski said. “If you’re smoking, you’re in violation. Then they don’t have to try to figure out what the person is smoking. And I just think it’s time we get cigarettes and smoke and vapes out of our parks.”

On Tuesday, council members voted to introduce three separate, but related changes to city ordinances regarding the use of cannabinoids in public places. City Attorney Pam Whitmore said the updates included one new ordinance, and proposed amendments to two existing city ordinances.

“These ordinances have been through L&O a couple of times, and have gotten input as well from the Community Services advisory board,” she said.

Whitmore said the new ordinance would prohibit smoking or vaping tobacco or cannabinoid products at city parks, as well as recreational facilities like athletic fields, arenas and swimming pools. In addition to the smoking ban, no cannabinoid products can be used at parks or recreational facilities, except at events that are licensed by the Office of Cannabis Management and have received a permit from the city.

“To be able to have those private events, you have to go through the permitting process and comply with all ordinances,” Whitmore said.

The two additional amendments to city ordinances included an update to the ordinance against consuming liquor on streets and public property, and an update to city ordinances on public dancing places. The updated liquor consumption ordinances would also include language banning the use of cannabinoid products on city streets and public property, Whitmore said. Again, the exception would be at a licensed and permitted private event.

Whitmore said the third update would be “to an ordinance you probably didn’t know that you had,” governing public dancing places. The proposed new language for this ordinance would require the owners or managers of public dancing places to keep out minors if intoxicating liquor or cannabinoid products are sold there.

The city of Marshall’s ordinance proposal comes a few months after Lyon County acted to prohibit using cannabis or lower-potency hemp products in public places. Under the county ordinance, cannabis cannot be used in places like public parks, streets and sidewalks, and places like stores, restaurants, bars, theaters and gyms. The county ordinance also prohibits using cannabis in a place where a minor could inhale the smoke or vapor.

Whitmore said the city ordinances being introduced Tuesday supported the county ordinance, and would help give Marshall Police authority to consistently enforce the cannabis bans.

Council members voted in favor of introducing the updated ordinances.