EAST PEORIA, Ill. — During East Peoria’s last city council meeting of the year, adult-use recreational cannabis ordinances were matched with the state law, and commissioners discussed banning video game cafes.
Recreational cannabis will be legal in the state of Illinois beginning Jan. 1, and clarifications were read during Tuesday nights meeting said Commissioner Mark Hill.
“Some of them were what is paraphernalia, what is public use, and clarifying who can and who can’t use, and one of them clearly stating that someone under 21 can still be cited for having paraphernalia,” Hill said. “Public spaces was clarified. Adding parks and recreational areas.”
Hill said the law already establishes no public use, and is intended for private use within a residence.
Personal cultivation will also be illegal without a medical license for cannabis.
The city council also discussed the idea of prohibiting video gaming only cafes.
“The city looked at the gaming operations and what was available to our residents, and the review of that really determined that there was no added value to our business economic model or to the citizens of having the video gaming cafes,” Hill said.
The ordinance to ban video gaming cafes would not include the Par-A-Dice casino or establishments that allow video gaming such as bars and restaurants.
“There are many other opportunities for our residents and visitors to hit established places where video gaming is allowed,” Hill said. “And so video gaming cafes by themselves weren’t seen to be value added to the business model.”
The council did not come to a decision Tuesday night to prohibit video gaming establishments, a decision will be made in 2020.
