New Jersey THC Drinks: Will Liquor Stores Stop Selling on Nov 13?
Under current law, New Jersey THC drinks leave liquor stores after Nov 13. A bill now on the governor's desk would move that cutoff to Dec 11.
Under the law in force on October 29, 2026, New Jersey liquor stores and bars may sell THC drinks only until November 13, 2026, but a bill that passed the Legislature on October 29 would move that cutoff to December 11 if Governor Sherrill signs it. After the cutoff, whichever date it lands on, the only legal place to buy a THC drink in New Jersey is a licensed cannabis dispensary, and the drink on that shelf is a different, regulated product.
Here is the part most pages miss. New Jersey wrote “November 13, 2026” into its statute as a plain calendar date. When Congress pushed the federal hemp change back to December 11, the state date did not move with it. That is why the Legislature had to pass a new bill, S4635, to catch up. As of this writing it has passed both houses and waits for the governor (LegiScan record).
Status checked October 29, 2026. If you are reading later, the bill may have been signed or vetoed; the steps near the end show how to check.
Can liquor stores still sell THC drinks after November 13?
Not under the current statute. P.L. 2026, c.13, signed May 29, 2026, says licensed sellers “may sell intoxicating hemp beverages until November 13, 2026,” and sales after that date are subject to penalties. November 13 is the last legal day of sale. That is why state agencies phrase it as a stop “beginning on November 14” (Division of Taxation; ABC order AO-2026-03).
The current law lets these sellers carry intoxicating hemp beverages until the cutoff:
- Plenary wholesale licensees and plenary retail distribution licensees (liquor stores).
- Plenary retail consumption licensees (bars), for packaged off-premises sale in the public barroom only. Hotels, restaurants, entertainment facilities and bowling alleys are excluded (c.13).
- Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC) licensees.
Gas stations and convenience stores already lost the right to sell these drinks on April 13, 2026 (Division of Taxation).
Did the federal delay to December 11 change New Jersey’s date?
No, not by itself. In September, Congress moved most of the new federal hemp definition from November 12 to December 11, 2026 (CRS In Focus IF13136). Our explainer on the two federal dates, Nov 12 and Dec 11 walks through that change.
New Jersey’s statute never pointed at “the federal date.” It named a day. The sponsors described November 13 as matching “the effective date of the new federal law” when the original law was signed in January (Senate Democrats release). The intent was to follow Washington. The text did not. So when the federal date slid, the state date stayed where it was.
Current law uses a fixed date. Bill S4635 would link New Jersey’s cutoff to the federal compliance date instead, so a later federal delay would carry the state date with it.
What is the bill that would move the cutoff to December 11?
S4635 swaps “November 13, 2026” for a new term, “the federal compliance date.” The bill defines that as December 11, 2026, or the day the federal hemp definition takes effect, whichever is later. It also says the date can never be earlier than December 11, 2026 (S4635 text). The bill takes effect immediately on signing.
The legislative record so far (LegiScan):
| Date (2026) | Step |
|---|---|
| October 1 | Introduced in the Senate |
| October 15 | Senate Judiciary Committee, 10-0 |
| October 22 | Passed the Senate, 37-0 |
| October 29 | Passed the Assembly, 75-2 (substituted for A5604) |
| Pending | Governor’s signature, veto or conditional veto |
Two cautions. First, a bill that passes both houses is not law until the governor acts, and no source we found predicts what she will do. Second, the text above is the introduced version. LegiScan lists no amended text, but check the final version on the Legislature’s site.
So the honest answer depends on what happens next:
| Governor action | Last day liquor stores and bars may sell | After that |
|---|---|---|
| Not yet acted | November 13, 2026 (current statute) | Licensed dispensaries only |
| Signs S4635 | December 11, 2026, or later if the federal date moves later | Licensed dispensaries only, and the federal 0.4 mg per container rule applies |
| Vetoes | November 13 stands, unless the veto message proposes changes | Licensed dispensaries only |
Where can I buy THC drinks in New Jersey after the cutoff?
Only at licensed Class 5 cannabis retailers, which most people call dispensaries. The CRC says that after the cutoff, any hemp-made beverage above 0.4 milligrams of total THC per container “is considered ‘cannabis,’” must be made by a licensed Class 2 cannabis manufacturer, and can only be sold by licensed Class 5 retailers (CRC FAQ). That FAQ is interim guidance from April 2026, written before c.13 and S4635, so treat it as the regulator’s reading rather than the statute.
Dispensary shopping follows New Jersey’s adult-use cannabis rules: you must be 21, and you buy in person from a licensed store.
Can I buy THC drinks online in New Jersey?
No. The law makes online sale of intoxicating hemp beverages unlawful, and it bans vending machine sales too (c.13, section 1). Selling any product with detectable THC to someone under 21 is also prohibited (CRC FAQ).
Is a dispensary THC drink the same as the can from the liquor store?
No, and this is where “dispensaries will still have THC drinks” can mislead you. New Jersey has two kinds of THC drink, made and sold under different rules. The difference between hemp and cannabis rules is the whole story here.
| Intoxicating hemp beverage | Regulated cannabis beverage | |
|---|---|---|
| Who sells it | Liquor stores, eligible bars and CRC licensees, until the cutoff | Licensed Class 5 retailers only |
| Who makes it | Hemp beverage producers, with a certificate of analysis | Licensed New Jersey Class 2 manufacturers |
| Container rules | A can up to 10 mg total THC, or a resealable 750 mL bottle up to 200 mg (40 servings of 5 mg) | One serving per container, up to 5 mg total THC |
| After the cutoff | Sales must stop | Still sold |
Sources: hemp container forms from c.13, section 12; dispensary limits from the CRC’s 2023 waiver for single-serve beverages. Rules can change, so check the label in front of you.
In plain terms: a dispensary drink is not the same can moved to a new shelf. It comes from a different, licensed supply chain, and the single-serve cap is half the per-can limit for hemp drinks. Do not assume a favorite flavor or brand will show up at a dispensary.
Labels on both kinds report “total THC.” If that phrase confuses you, our guide to total THC vs delta-9 explains the math. The High IQ app can scan a product label so you can keep track of what a drink actually lists.
After the cutoff, the only legal THC drink in New Jersey is a regulated cannabis beverage from a licensed dispensary. It is a different product from the hemp can that left the liquor store; the band colors only mark the two kinds.
What happens on December 11?
On December 11, the new federal hemp definition takes effect. Under it, a finished product with more than 0.4 milligrams of total THC per container is no longer hemp (CRS In Focus IF13136). Our article on the 0.4 mg per container federal cap shows what that means for a typical can.
That is why even a signed S4635 buys liquor stores about a month, not a permanent reprieve. Federal bills that would delay or rewrite the change again have been introduced. None had passed as of the CRS report dated September 28, 2026. If S4635 becomes law and Congress delays again, New Jersey’s date would follow the federal one. Without S4635, it would not.
What if I already bought THC drinks before the cutoff?
The laws reviewed for this article penalize selling, offering for sale and distributing these drinks. The civil penalties start at not less than $100 for a first violation and rise to not less than $10,000 for a third, and each day counts as a separate offense (c.13, section 1). Those penalties fall on sellers. None of the sources we opened addresses a drink you already own, so we cannot tell you it is either fine or forbidden to keep one.
Do not carry drinks across state lines. Interstate rules were outside what we reviewed, and other states’ laws differ.
How to check whether the cutoff has moved
Because the answer can change with one signature, check before you plan a purchase:
- Open the bill page. Search for S4635 on the New Jersey Legislature’s bill page. A signed bill shows an approval date and a chapter number.
- Check the governor’s news page. Search the governor’s press releases for S4635 to see whether it was signed, vetoed or conditionally vetoed.
- Ask the store. Ask your liquor store or bar which last day of sale it is following and whether it has had notice from the ABC.
A word on safety
THC drinks can take a while to kick in, and that delay tempts people to have a second one too soon. Before a first dispensary drink, read up on how THC drinks work and how to dose them and the start-low approach for edibles. Two more lessons here in High School cover mixing THC drinks and alcohol and how long to wait before driving.
If a drink leaves you with symptoms that worry you, such as a racing heart, chest pain, confusion or vomiting that will not stop, talk to a clinician, or call emergency services if it feels severe.
Key takeaways
- Under the current statute, liquor stores and bars may sell THC drinks until November 13, 2026.
- The federal delay to December 11 did not change that date, because New Jersey wrote a calendar date into the law.
- S4635 would move the cutoff to December 11 or later. It passed both houses on October 29 and waits for the governor.
- After the cutoff, only licensed dispensaries may sell THC drinks, and those are regulated single-serve cannabis beverages.
- Online and vending machine sales are illegal now.
FAQ
Are THC drinks legal in New Jersey?
Yes, for adults 21 and older, but where you can buy them depends on the date. Until the cutoff, licensed liquor stores, eligible bars and CRC licensees may sell intoxicating hemp beverages. After it, only licensed Class 5 cannabis retailers may sell THC drinks.
Will dispensaries still sell THC drinks after the liquor store ban?
Yes. Licensed dispensaries keep selling regulated cannabis beverages made by licensed New Jersey manufacturers. Expect a different product: one serving per container, with a 5 mg total THC cap under the CRC’s waiver, not the 10 mg hemp can.
Does the federal delay to December 11 change New Jersey’s date?
Not on its own. New Jersey’s law names November 13, 2026, as a calendar date. S4635 would link the state date to the federal compliance date, but only if the governor signs it.
When is the last day to buy THC seltzer at a New Jersey liquor store?
Under current law it is November 13, 2026, and agencies say sales stop beginning November 14. If S4635 is signed, the last day becomes December 11, 2026, or later if the federal date moves later.
