Illustration: Lazaro Gamio/Axios
New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) on Monday signed a bill that will legalize recreational marijuana for people over the age of 21.
The state of play: Lujan Grisham said in a statement following the state legislature's passage of the bill, "This is a significant victory for New Mexico. Workers will benefit from the opportunity to build careers in this new economy."
- Commercial sales of cannabis in New Mexico will begin no later than April 2022, the Las Cruces Sun News reports.
- Legalization is expected to generate $20 million in state revenue for New Mexico in 2023, per the Albuquerque Journal. Local governments are also expected to see $10 million in revenue.
- The bill will also permit about 100 prisoners in the state with drug-related charges to have their convictions reconsidered, AP notes.
The big picture: New Mexico is now the seventh state since November to legalize marijuana use, per AP.
- The efforts follow a national trend of lawmakers rethinking marijuana laws, especially when it comes to their disproportionate effect on communities of color.