A new bill that allows large intoxicating/infused hemp drink bottles and stops pro-medical cannabis towns from preventing adult-use sales passed the NJ Assembly Appropriations and Oversight Committees the same day.
Table of Contents
Assemblyman Robert Karabinchak (D-18) and Assemblywoman Annette Quijano (D-20-Union) are sponsoring A 5051.
NJ Senate President Nick Scutari (D-22-Union) is sponsoring it in the Senate as S 4297. He seems to really enjoy ramming intoxicating hemp bills through the Legislature while home cannabis gardening bills wither.
The intoxicating hemp flower selling ban signed into law in January went into effect. It has already caused some reputable smoke shops to close or pivot.
Others are defiant.
The November 13th end of liquor stores selling hemp drinks remains in place.
Big Hemp Drink Changes
The bill allows drinks to be sold in “a resealable bottle of 750 milliliters in volume containing 40 servings of 5 milligrams of total THC per serving or not more than 200 milligrams of total THC per bottle.”
A hemp drink bottle with 200 mg of THC is like something underground legacy weed operators sell.
Hemp drink cans will remain limited to 10 mg of THC.
Also, “the bill expands the ability of ABC licensed bars that sell packaged alcoholic beverages for off-premises consumption to also sell intoxicating hemp beverages, provided that the bar is not part of or located within a hotel, restaurant, entertainment facility, or bowling alley.”
So certain bars can sell hemp drinks like liquor bottles to take home. But not individual drinks.
Notably, “the bill allows for a 10 percent margin of error in cannabinoid concentration in the required laboratory testing results.”
Ten percent is a significant margin of error.
Fighting Town Power
According to the text, “the bill allows a medical cannabis dispensary that is applying for a Class 5 adult use cannabis retailer license to be co-located with the medical dispensary to not require additional municipal review, if it is located in a municipality that already allows medical cannabis dispensaries to operate.”
There are a few dispensaries with this problem. For example, Breakwater’s medical cannabis dispensary in Cranbury in Middlesex County is not allowed to begin adult-use cannabis sales.
It’s hard to fight “Home Rule,” which grants town governments a lot of autonomy versus the State of New Jersey.
Oversight Committee Reviews Hemp Drink and Medical Dispensary Bill
NJ Canna Business Association President Bill Caruso was said to be opposed but didn’t testify.
Brewer’s Guild of NJ Lobbyist Eric Orlando said they’re still interested in hustling THC drinks either through a liquor license or an NJ Cannabis Regulatory Commission (NJ-CRC).
They felt left out of other liquor lobbyists getting their cut.
“Efforts in DC are underway to overturn this prohibition,” Orlando noted.
He claimed it’s a 50-50 chance they succeed.
Police Chiefs Hate More Weed Drinks
Montville Police Chief Andrew Caggiano of the NJ Police Chiefs’ Association was opposed to the bill.
“This bill expands access to THC beverages before New Jersey has established an infrastructure necessary to manage public safety,” he alleged.
Caggiano claimed the changes would attract many underaged consumers.
He wanted to limit THC drink sales to dispensaries, along with other things.
Committee Chair Alexander “Avi” Schnall (D-30-Ocean) said comments were 12-7 in favor without specifying who wanted what.
Doing so is a common NJ Legislative practice.
“In my district, about half the towns want licensed dispensaries and half the towns do not want to have them. I don’t think it’s the right of the State to override municipalities,” Assemblyman Don Guardian (R-Atlantic-2) said before voting no.
The Oversight Committee passed it 5-1
Appropriations Committee Reviews THC Drinks and Town Power
NJ Assembly Appropriations Committee Chair Lisa Swain (D-38-Bergen) noted that NJ CannaBusiness Association (NJCBA) President Bill Caruso opposed the bill, along with Paul Penna of the NJ League of Municipalities.
“What we haven’t seen is a lot of relief on the NJ cannabis industry side,” Caruso argued.
He noted they passed a bill dealing with intoxicating hemp, but keep changing the law.
Caruso said 750 ML is the size of a wine bottle, and the 200 MG of THC makes it strong.
“You’re opened it to packaged goods stores as well…,” he noted.
“Why are we not allowing this exact same thing to happen in the regulated cannabis industry that you created…?” Caruso asked.
He thought it strange that the bill allowed more THC drink sales when the Legislature seemed to want to stop that before.
The bill passed the committee 9-4.
