A Wausau city panel voted unanimously Monday to ban the use of synthetic marijuana in the city of Wausau.

The Public Health and Safety committee voted on an ordinance that makes it illegal to use, sell, purchase, publicly display, or possess synthetic marijuana, according to a statement from the Wausau city board.

The committee amended two areas of the original ordinance proposed, Wausau City Clerk Kelly Michaels said in an e-mail.

The amended ordinance now states a person of any age, not just adults, can be charged and the offender can be fined up to $500 for possession or use and $3,000 for solicitation of synthetic marijuana, Michaels said.

The Wausau City Council will consider the ordinance Nov. 9 and if adopted, the ordinance will become law upon publication in the newspaper, according to Michaels.

The illegalization of synthetic marijuana in other countries, states, and counties as well as the health hazards seen in hospital records around the U.S. and the threat to Wausau citizens’ health, safety and welfare created a need for the law, according to the city board statement.

There is no Wisconsin or federal law against the use of synthetic marijuana.

The Dane County Police Department currently does not see synthetic marijuana as a major problem in Madison.

“Eventually if it becomes a problem, much more than it already is, some sort of action would be made,” said Sgt. Gordy Disch of the Dane County Narcotics and Gang Task Force. “There is no law against it, so we don’t deal with it.”

Madison currently does not ban the sale of synthetic marijuana products and allows their sale in shops in Madison, including stores on State Street.

Previous legislation has been introduced in Wisconsin to ban synthetic marijuana, but has never passed. A bill banning synthetic marijuana will most likely be resurrected during the next legislative session, Disch said.

According to Disch, the passing of the ordinance in Wausau will most likely not affect protocols or laws regarding synthetic marijuana in Madison at this time.

“The drug force administration is trying to get an act enforced, but most local cities don’t deal with these issues [independently],” Disch said.