Key takeaways
Gov. Mikie Sherrill signed S-4635/A-5604 on Nov. 12, 2026, and it took effect immediately.
New Jersey hemp THC drink sales were set to end Nov. 13. They can now continue until at least Dec. 11, 2026, or later if Congress delays the federal hemp change again.
The extension covers liquor wholesalers, liquor stores, qualifying bars and restaurants, and licensed cannabis businesses.
The existing rules stay: 10 mg cans or 750 mL bottles, a lab certificate of analysis, and 21+ checks at the register.
New Jersey hemp THC drinks get a reprieve. A new law keeps them legal in liquor stores, bars and cannabis dispensaries past today, Nov. 13, which had been the state’s cutoff. The new end date tracks the federal hemp ban, now set for Dec. 11.
Gov. Mikie Sherrill signed S-4635/A-5604, sponsored by Senate President Nicholas Scutari and Assemblyman Robert Karabinchak, on Nov. 12, her office announced. The bill passed the Senate 37-0 on Oct. 22 and the Assembly 75-2 on Oct. 29, The Marijuana Herald reported, and it took effect immediately.
What the New Jersey hemp beverage law changes
State law let certain licensees sell intoxicating hemp beverages only until Nov. 13, 2026, the date the federal hemp rewrite was first expected to hit. In September, Congress pushed most of that federal change to Dec. 11, which would have left New Jersey’s channel closing about a month early.
The bill text swaps the fixed date for a moving “federal compliance date”: Dec. 11, 2026, or the date the relevant parts of the federal hemp definition take effect, whichever is later. Lawmakers built it that way to absorb any further federal delays, the Senate Judiciary Committee statement says.
"Notwithstanding the expiration, repeal, or lapse of any federal appropriation or federal continuing resolution measure, the federal compliance date shall not be earlier than December 11, 2026."
Who can keep selling hemp THC drinks in New Jersey
Under the bill, these license holders can sell intoxicating hemp beverages until the federal compliance date:
Plenary wholesale and plenary retail distribution licensees (alcohol wholesalers and package stores)
Plenary retail consumption licensees that meet existing statutory requirements (bars and restaurants)
Businesses licensed by the Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC)
After that date, any sale of these drinks by anyone falls under the penalties in the state’s 2025 hemp law. The bill also lets hemp producers authorized by the Department of Agriculture keep possessing and transporting intermediate hemp material above 0.3% THC during processing until the same date, as long as the finished product meets state limits.
Key dates for New Jersey hemp beverages
Date | What happens |
|---|---|
May 31, 2026 | State container, testing and label rules for hemp drinks apply |
Oct. 22 and Oct. 29, 2026 | Senate (37-0) and Assembly (75-2) pass the bill |
Nov. 12, 2026 | Gov. Sherrill signs S-4635/A-5604; effective immediately |
Nov. 13, 2026 | Old state cutoff for hemp drink sales (no longer applies) |
Dec. 11, 2026, or later | Federal compliance date; sales through these licensees end |
The rules that still apply
The extension doesn’t loosen anything. Drinks must come in a can with no more than 10 mg of total THC, or a resealable 750 mL bottle with 40 servings of 5 mg or no more than 200 mg total. Each sale needs a certificate of analysis from a DEA-registered, ISO 17025-accredited lab, with THC within 90% to 110% of the label.
Selling without that certificate, or in a non-compliant container, carries a civil penalty of at least $100 per container. Online and vending machine sales stay banned. Stores that let customers pick drinks off the shelf must keep them apart from other alcohol, post a 21+ notice, watch the display, and have an employee confirm age and serving size at checkout.
What this means for operators
Keep selling only compliant formats: 10 mg cans or 750 mL bottles, each with a current certificate of analysis.
Plan inventory to Dec. 11, not beyond. The date moves only if Congress delays the federal change, so don’t over-order on hope.
Watch Congress. If federal lawmakers push the hemp definition back again, New Jersey’s date moves with it automatically.
Map your post-deadline options. Once the federal date hits, drinks above the federal limit would generally have to move through the licensed cannabis market, The Marijuana Herald notes.
Retrain staff on the self-serve rules and 21+ checks, which still carry penalties during the extension.
What this means for cannabis workers
If you work at a liquor store, bar or dispensary that sells hemp seltzers, nothing changes at the counter today. You still confirm the buyer is 21 or older and tell them the serving size.
The bigger change is Dec. 11. Ask your manager what happens to the hemp drink section after that date, and whether it affects your hours.
The bigger picture
Congress rewrote the federal hemp definition in November 2025, and most intoxicating hemp products, including drinks over 0.4 mg of THC per container, are set to fall outside it on Dec. 11. Industry groups and some lawmakers are still pushing for a regulatory framework instead, The Marijuana Herald reports. The state’s Office of Legislative Services called the law’s revenue impact indeterminate because it depends on when, or if, the federal ban takes hold.
Related on The Weekly Joint: Federal hemp ban phase 1: THC-O is out · Illinois pauses Hemp Act enforcement for 250 businesses · Archive
Sources
This article is general information, not legal advice. Licensees with questions can contact the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control or the Cannabis Regulatory Commission.
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