Bills have been introduced in the New Jersey Legislature to re-ban consumption of legal cannabis by police, first responders, Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) Drivers, and heavy construction workers.
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NJ Bill Seeking to Ban Consumption for Cops and Others
The bill says law enforcement officers, first responders, CDL drivers, or persons who operate heavy equipment would be prohibited from consuming cannabis while off-duty.
It says, “Employers of law enforcement officers, first responders, CDL drivers, or persons who operate heavy equipment may discharge from employment or take any adverse action against an employee who is a law enforcement officer, first responder, CDL driver, or a person who operates heavy equipment with respect to compensation, terms, conditions, or other privileges of employment if that person uses cannabis items.”
So, you could get fired if you had to consume cannabis after coping with death in a range of forms all day to feel better if you’re a police officers, first responder, CDL drivers or heavy construction workers.
The bill also says, “a law enforcement officer, first responder, CDL driver, or a person who operates heavy equipment may be subject to adverse action by an employer solely due to the presence of cannabinoid metabolites in the employee’s bodily fluid from engaging in conduct otherwise permitted under the recreational use statute.”
So even if you smoked last night and are fine the next morning and piss tests you could be fired.
Restriction Cannabis Consumption Bills
In addition, “the bill permits employers to conduct random drug tests to ensure compliance with the prohibition. The drug test is required to include scientifically reliable objective testing methods and procedures, such as testing of blood, urine, or saliva, in order to determine whether the employee has engaged in the use of cannabis items.”
The bill also permits an “employer to refuse to hire a prospective law enforcement officer, first responder, or a person who operates heavy equipment due to use of cannabis items….”
“The bill amends current law to prohibit the operation of a commercial motor vehicle while using cannabis items, and use oof cannabis items in a school bus or other form of public transportation, while the vehicle is not in operation.”
“Heavy equipment” means machinery that is self-propelled, self-powered, or pulleyed and weighs 5,000 pounds or more…”
Push to End Freedom of Consumption for Certain Professionals
The bill was introduced October 19th. A few online news outlets covered it this week with the biased implication that it should pass or that there are hurdles. The Shore News Network did a lot of digging to find everyone who hates this sort of freedom. They noted that “Business groups have made the same case for construction sites and warehouses.
“When (the NJ adult-use cannabis legalization implementation law) CREAMMA passed, Ray Cantor, the NJBIA‘s (NJ Business and Industry Association) vice president of government affairs, said drug-free workplaces are “absolutely essential for certain safety sensitive occupations.”
“An officer’s standards on duty should not come at the expense of their lawful rights when off duty. Any change should be grounded in public safety needs. Not assumptions or unnecessarily broad restrictions on the lawful conduct of New Jersey’s police officers,” NJ Policemen’s Benevolent Association (PBA) President Pete Andreyev said about the bill according to News 12 NJ.
However, News 12 also made it seem like there a lot of “hurdles in the way” in the normal legislative process.
In September 2026, a New Jersey worker won a lawsuit saying he should get his job back in construction after being fired for testing positive for cannabis.
Pushing Re-Ban of Weed for Cops, 1st Responders and Others
NJ Senate Judiciary Chair and Union City Mayor Brian Stack (D-33- Hudson) introduced the bill to ban cops, 1st responders, CDL drivers, and heavy-duty construction workers from consuming cannabis as S 4685. Assemblyman Larry Wainstein (D-33-Hudson) introduced the bill as A 5649.
The bill is not scheduled for a hearing. It also has no other sponsors in the NJ Senate or Assembly. This is also not the first time such a bill has been introduced by legislators. So, it might not make any progress at all.
The current session of the NJ Legislature expires in January 2028 after beginning this year in January 20026. So, the bill has until then to pass.
