MARSHALL — The Marshall City Council took the next couple of steps in the process of regulating sales of THC products in the city.

Council members voted Tuesday to approve a new ordinance allowing businesses to register to sell low potency, hemp-based edibles.

But while sales of low potency THC products will be allowed, the city is still not allowing higher potency cannabis sales in Marshall. In a separate action, council members voted in favor of a moratorium on those products that will last until Jan. 1.

The council had introduced a proposal to let businesses register to sell hemp-based THC edibles earlier this spring and the proposal had a hearing at the Marshall Planning Commission. The Planning Commission recommended approval of the registration ordinance.

“It is a registration system to enable us to know where these products are being sold, so we can comply with the necessary compliance checks under state law,” said Marshall City Attorney Pam Whitmore.

While lower potency hemp-based THC products have been legal in Minnesota for a couple of years, they cannot be sold to people under the age of 21.

The city ordinance also places some restrictions on where hemp-based edibles can be sold. Lower potency THC products cannot be sold in a home business, or within 500 feet of a school.

“I think it is a good compromise,” said council member James Lozinski.

Council members voted unanimously in favor of the ordinance.

In a separate action Tuesday, council members held a public hearing on a proposed moratorium on sales of higher-potency cannabis products. The moratorium would be in place until Jan. 1, Whitmore said.

“It enables us to see what the (Minnesota) Office of Cannabis Management is going to do with respect to the model ordinance they are putting together,” Whitmore said.

“So I can understand this, this is to let the state catch up to the law they created?” Lozinski asked.

“Correct,” Whitmore said.

Mayor Bob Byrnes added that the state does not expect to start issuing cannabis licenses until after Jan. 1. However, the state could issue preliminary approvals for cannabis licenses, Whitmore said.

“As part of that, they’re identifying locations. So with respect to any type of zoning that we do, we don’t want to get caught in a time frame where there’s been a preliminary license issued, and then we have some kind of zoning that would impact that preliminary approval,” she said. “This is something that is just a safeguard.”

No members of the public came forward to comment at the public hearing.

Council members voted unanimously to approve the moratorium on higher-potency cannabis products.