Tinley Park officials are drafting a local ordinance to battle the use of synthetic marijuana in the village.

Changes to the state law banning the substance took effect Jan. 1, making it a felony to possess or sell the fake pot. Now, village officials are readying Tinley Park’s own local ordinance to give police more flexibility when encountering the substance.

Officials said synthetic marijuana has become more prevalent in recent years, and it has been found on the shelves of some shops that sell tobacco in Tinley Park. Police regularly perform spot checks to try and prohibit its sale in village stores.

“We have seen smaller amounts in the community,” Neubauer said. “It’s here.”

Having a local ordinance that prohibits the substance will give officers more flexibility in dealing with it, he said. The local ordinance requires a lesser level of proof than the state law, and in some instances a local ordinance citation may be more appropriate than a more serious charge, officials said.

If someone without a criminal record is stopped with the substance, for instance, the officer would have a choice to issue a local ordinance citation instead of using the state law.

“It would give us an opportunity to charge them in local court where we can definitely hold them accountable for their behavior, but not have a devastating effect on their lives,” Neubauer said.

The new ordinance was approved by the Public Safety Committee Feb. 7 but still must be approved by the full Village Board.