New Jersey Hemp Bill Would Create THC Licenses for Liquor Stores

Lawmakers in the New Jersey Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee last week advanced language to ban the unlicensed sale of intoxicating hemp products and create new licenses allowing liquor stores to sell hemp-derived THC beverages, Heady NJ reports.

Introduced by Senate Majority Leader Teresa Ruiz (D) and Senate President Nick Scutari (D), the proposal, S 4509, would require the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC) to create a licensing scheme for the hemp beverage plan.

CRC Acting Executive Director Chris Riggs said during testimony that hemp products are currently “outside of our regulatory preview,” but that the language would help integrate hemp THC products into the state’s existing adult-use cannabis market.

“All intoxicating cannabinoids should be regulated the same.” — Riggs, via Heady NJ

The bill also contains new taxes on the sale of intoxicating hemp products, including a $30 excise fee on the transfer of such products and a $5.50 per-gallon excise tax on the sale of THC-infused beverages. According to the proposal, the additional tax revenue would be reserved for funding social equity programs.

The proposal would also eliminate previous, ineffective attempts in the state to regulate intoxicating hemp products.

Meanwhile, hemp-derived THC products will be banned nationwide next November under a federal spending bill signed by President Trump last month.