Jessica Gonzalez was quoted in a recent Law360 article titled "NJ Legal Pot Bill Moves Forward Amid Social Equity Concerns." In reference to the New Jersey bill which would create a regulated system for selling cannabis to ensure licenses reach the hands of applicants from communities disproportionately impacted by marijuana laws, Jessica stated that "if these programs and opportunities are not tied to social equity applicants, there is very little guarantee that these communities will actually benefit from these programs."
Jessica went on to state, "[I]t's become almost commonplace in states such as Illinois, Washington, Colorado, Massachusetts and even in New York's proposed legislation to include a social equity applicant status[.]" "The refusal to include such a status undermines the work of advocates and it undermines the harms caused by cannabis prohibition on Black and Latino communities."