NJ Senate President Nick Scutari (D-22-Union) introduced a bill tweaking the upcoming phased-in ban of intoxicating hemp to allow liquor-sized bottles while businesses seek to resist the ban.
It is getting on a hearing quickly on Thursday, the 19th in the NJ Senate Judiciary Committee.
Budget Committee Chair Paul Sarlo (D-36-Bergen) is also sponsoring S 3945.
It does not yet have the necessary companion bill to become law.
Notably, it would not allow liquor stores to continue to sell hemp drinks after Nov 2026. That would hurt the dispensaries that would benefit immensely from a new produce revenue stream.
A bill was passed and signed into law in the last days of former Governor Phil Murphy’s administration, greatly restricting hemp sales. On April 13th, before the traditional cannabis community holiday of 4/20, all hemp flower, gummies, and oils must be off shelves.
Tweaks to NJ Infused Hemp Drink Law
According to the bill, “under current law, effective April 13th, 2026, intoxicating hemp beverages will be limited to five milligrams of total THC per serving, or 10 milligrams of total THC per container, and may only be sold by certain licensees of the Division of Alcoholic Beverage (ABC) or the Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC).”
Under the bill, the milligram limits on intoxicating hemp beverages are repealed. Additionally, the bill repeals the requirement that ABC licensees store or display intoxicating hemp beverages in a place not accessible to customers without employee assistance.
The bill requires that intoxicating hemp beverages sold by ABC or CRC licensees containing more than 10 milligrams of total THC per container have resealable packaging.
It also sets a maximum container volume of 750 milliliters, which is about 25 ounces.
The bill also allows hemp producers to exceed the 0.3 percent THC limit until November 13th, 2026, if the material is an intermediate hemp-derived extract that is in the process of being manufactured into a final product that meets the legal THC limits.
So they want to allow manufacturers to make the equivalent of liquor bottles. Hemp manufacturers would be able to do so only temporarily.
The November 13th, 2026, deadline ending sales by ABC licensees remains in place.
Hemp Drink Hustles
The technical nature of the tweaks makes it seem like a sort of compromise.
The efforts of liquor and beer, and hemp lobbyists who sought to preserve their market during the legislative hearings, made the closing of the loophole more noteworthy. They might have won these minor concessions in this bill.
Several legal NJ cannabis manufacturers are also very interested in the market and its details as well.
Hemp drinks have become popular among those who are more canna-curious and newbies than hardcore stoners and potheads.
The CRC has released some FAQs on hemp products ahead of the upcoming ban.
Hemp Businesses Fight Back
There certainly have been many dismayed by the passage of the phased-in infused/intoxicating hemp ban bill on social media.
They are unhappy at seemingly unintended consequences of limiting THC.
Thomas Norcia has been unhappy with the NJ Legislature and the CRC for their poor treatment of hemp farmers. He has testified with the native American Chief Vincent Mann of the Ramapough Lenape Nation. Together, they created a local Hemper Farmer advocacy group to fight back.
A whole class of local independent NJ hemp farmers and store owners growing, making, and selling quality products will likely be deeply hurt by this. They likely are already feeling the negative effects on their business.
The Hemp industry, like cannabis, is a mix of lovable potheads and greedy sharks and everyone in between. Unfortunately, some bad apples can make the barrel look bad.
The vibes in places selling hemp can run from hella shady to delightful.
Some NJ pro-legal cannabis dispensary advocates have been unhappy with the competition with shady stores. Especially when legal cannabis margins are tight. Plus, the State imposes layers of red tape on small businesses and large corporations equally to calm normies and moderates. So they began echoing rhetoric narc cop lovers might enjoy, pointing out bad apples.
