Days before New Jersey approaches the annual 4/20 cannabis spotlight, Gov. Mikie Sherrill has signed legislation to tighten the long-blurred lines between hemp-derived THC products and legal marijuana, temporarily revising how the state regulates hemp products and intoxicating hemp beverages.
The new law, approved March 30, revises restrictions on the sale, handling and distribution of hemp-derived products through November 2026, giving licensed hemp producers, retailers and regulators more time to operate under temporary rules, while setting a path to sort out oversight on the sale of THC-containing products alongside the legalized marijuana market.
Under Sherrill’s new revisions, which took effect April 13, certain items will no longer meet the definition of “hemp,” while banning online sales, vending machine sales, and sales to anyone under 21, and allowing a temporary, tightly regulated window for certain hemp-derived beverages until Nov. 13, 2026. Then, intoxicating hemp products must be sold only through NJ’s licensed cannabis system.
Here’s what consumers should know about the new THC and hemp regulations in New Jersey, approved just weeks before the unofficial “weed holiday.”
The new hemp and THC law in New Jersey is a transition and adjustment law signed by Gov. Mikie Sherrill signed New Jersey law on March 30, 2026, revising how hemp-derived THC products — especially intoxicating hemp beverages — may be handled or sold through November 2026.
It allows licensed hemp producers to possess or transport intermediate hemp-derived cannabinoid containing more than 0.3% until Nov. 13, 2026, only if the products are not intended for direct consumer sale. This includes delta-8, delta-10, THCA and comparable cannabinoids, per NJ.gov.
The measure also removes previous limits on the amount of THC in intoxicating hemp beverages and sets a maximum container volume of 750 milliliters. Intoxicating hemp beverages may continue to be sold by ABC (Alcoholic Beverage Control) and CRC (Cannabis Regulatory Commission) licensees until Nov. 13. After that date, ABC licensees must stop selling intoxicating hemp beverages; CRC licensees will treat them like adult-use cannabis.
The law does not legalize new THC products at convenience stores or gas stations, nor does it loosen marijuana laws, or allow home cultivation of marijuana.
Marijuana, hemp and THC are legal in New Jersey, but they are legal in different ways and under different rules depending on how and where they are sold.
Hemp fiber, grain and seed, non‑intoxicating CBD products, and low‑THC wellness products that comply with testing and labeling rules. Hemp cultivation is legal for licensed growers under the New Jersey Hemp Farming Act, but retail sales are closely regulated and limited.
There are several hemp-derived THC products including delta-8, delta-9, delta-10 and THCA (tetrahydrocannabinolic acid) products cannot be sold in smoke shops, gas stations, or online, as revised in March 2026. Delta-9 is the most common and well-known form of THC.
THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, is the primary psychoactive chemical compound found in the cannabis plant, It is the substance most responsible for the “high” people experience when using marijuana because it interacts with cannabinoid receptors in the brain that affect mood, perception, memory, appetite and coordination. THC, used in THCA and THCV, also has medical benefits without the high or psychedelic effects.
In each transaction, dispensaries are allowed to sell up to the equivalent of 1 ounce of usable cannabis, according to NJ law. This means up to:
A purchase of a combination of products may be 14.17 grams (1/2 ounce) of dried flower and 2 grams of concentrate, or 5 packages of gummies and 14.17 grams (1/2 ounce) of dried flower.
Hemp and marijuana plants are the same species, but are not the same under the law, mainly due to the THC levels, according to Healthline.
Hemp is cannabis with 0.3% THC or less by dry weight, while marijuana — typically associated with “getting high” — contains higher THC levels, with more than 0.3% THC by dry weight, according to Healthline.
That legal distinction determines how products are sold, regulated and taxed in New Jersey, even though the plants are biologically similar.
Marijuana and THC are legal in New Jersey for adults 21 and older through the state’s regulated cannabis system, while hemp is legal only in non‑intoxicating forms, with all products subject to strict limits, age requirements and oversight.
“Weed” is a common slang term for marijuana, not a legal category, referring to marijuana or cannabis. When comparing hemp vs weed, both come from the same plant species, though hemp is cannabis that stays non-intoxicating; weed is cannabis with enough THC to cause a high, hence why it’s regulated like marijuana.
You can buy legal recreational marijuana in 24 U.S. states plus Washington, DC. Adults 21 and older can legally possess and purchase cannabis in these places; however, specifics, like sales, possession limits and cultivating, vary by state:
To find legal recreational cannabis or medicinal cannabis dispensaries in New Jersey, head to the official NJ.gov website. You can also find cannabis delivery services and cannabis recalls.
Lori Comstock is a New Jersey-based news reporter covering trending news with USA TODAY Network’s Mid-Atlantic Connect Team. She covers news in the Northeast, including New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia. Reach her at LComstock@usatodayco.com.