4/20: Celebration and Reflection

April 20th, known as 4/20, is a symbolic date for those who recognize the medicinal, economic, and social value of cannabis. As a Latina, an entrepreneur, and an advocate for equity, I celebrate this day with pride—especially within the context of the significant progress made by the State of New Jersey in this field.

On February 22, 2021, New Jersey marked a major milestone by enacting the Cannabis Regulatory, Enforcement Assistance, and Marketplace Modernization Act (P.L.2021, c.16), also known as Bill A21. This legislation legalized personal cannabis use for adults over the age of 21, decriminalized the possession of small amounts, and removed cannabis from Schedule I of controlled substances.

In 2024, New Jersey’s cannabis market surpassed $1 billion in combined sales from both medical and recreational cannabis—representing nearly a 25% increase over the previous year’s total of $800,279,300. This growth underscores the strength of the state’s regulated cannabis industry, which generated $43,290,543 in tax revenue. These funds are now being invested in social equity programs, including legal services, workforce development, and financial assistance. Projections indicate that by the end of 2025, the cannabis industry in New Jersey will create approximately 22,000 jobs, ranging from cultivation to auxiliary services.

Legalization has also been a crucial step toward social justice. For decades, Black and Latino communities were disproportionately impacted by cannabis prohibition laws. This legislation addresses those harms by allowing for expungement of cannabis-related criminal records and reinvesting resources in the communities most affected.

As a Latina woman who has spent over 15 years educating others about the therapeutic and responsible use of cannabis, I have witnessed firsthand how our communities have been unfairly targeted—not as criminals, but as people seeking relief, suffering in silence, and desperately trying to access alternatives when the medical system failed them.

I recall the testimony of a Dominican mother who tearfully told me: “My son couldn’t sleep because of the pain. Only cannabis helped him rest, but we had to hide it as if we were criminals.” Today, that son has legal access to his medicine—and that mother can finally sleep in peace.

Stories like hers are all too common. Within my own circle, family members and friends were arrested, fired from jobs, and even deported for possessing small amounts of cannabis. What was their “crime”? Being part of a community without access, without a voice, and without adequate legal protection.

In Latino culture, cannabis use has long been taboo—associated with laziness, illegality, or rebellion. Even within our own families, it is often stigmatized. But that perception is not rooted in truth; it stems from misinformation, fear, and inherited prejudice. That is why I have dedicated much of my life to education. I have visited community centers, led workshops in Spanish, and accompanied elderly patients through their medical cannabis treatment.

And today, on this global day of cannabis awareness, I celebrate the leadership of the lawmakers who made this progress possible—and Governor Phil Murphy, whose signature transformed this legislation into law.