Warren City Council on Wednesday gave final approval to lift the long-time ban on body piercings in the city.

The ban had been on the city books for decades and proponents of the change hope it allows businesses to expand.

Up until now, if someone wanted to have a body part pierced, they needed to go outside of the city unless it was performed by a licensed physician.

The change takes effect immediately, but businesses still need to apply for a license to offer piercing services.