The rules and regulations regarding air travel with medical cannabis products; what’s legal, what’s not.
It would be difficult to be a cigarette smoker who works as a flight attendant.
Sure, you might get lucky and get short flights all day long that provide the chance to step outside between them for a quick smoke.
Flights of several hours or more might put a real strain on smokers, so how do they deal with it?
Are they allowed to smoke in the bathroom on the flight?
Do they have special smoking rooms just for staff?
No.
But, you’re a cannabis smoker who wants to travel?
Thankfully, you’re not completely stranded to the ground if you have a stash of medical cannabis.
Is It Federally Legal to Fly with Cannabis?
According to the federal government, cannabis remains a Schedule I drug.
As such, it remains federally illegal to transport across state lines.
This transportation includes travel via air.
So, no, it’s not federally legal to fly with cannabis across state lines.
However, flying with cannabis within a legalized state, say from Los Angeles to Sacramento, appears to break no special laws laid out by the federal government except those already in place for trafficking of cannabis.
That being said, you’re unlikely to get into legal trouble at the federal level when flying with cannabis unless you are trying to transport a large enough quantity to be considered a trafficker.
That’s because the TSA doesn’t really care.
What Is the TSA’s Official Position About Air Travel with Cannabis?
Federal Marshalls aren’t overseeing the passengers getting on and off planes, and TSA agents doing so don’t have the same powers of arrest as sworn officers of the law.
So, you’re safe from the TSA arresting you. Instead, they’ll simply refer any cannabis infractions to local law enforcement.
According to the TSA’s website, they do allow medical marijuana products to be carried in both carry-on and checked baggage.
In fact, they don’t even look for cannabis products when scanning luggage.
The website states that “TSA security officers do not search for marijuana or other illegal drugs, but if any illegal substance is discovered during security screening, TSA will refer the matter to a law enforcement officer.”
How To Fly with Cannabis Products
Even if medical marijuana is allowed in your state, TSA agents may still alert local authorities if they find your medicine in your bags.
You don’t need the latest cannabis tech to get through security.
Here’s how to pack medical marijuana in your carry-on luggage in a way that helps it easily pass through the screening process.
Edibles
Most food products will go through the security process without setting off any alarms.
Agents are accustomed to seeing organic material go through the scanner without issue.
Infused liquids, on the other hand, should follow the same rules that you would use for soaps or shampoos.
In general, passengers are allowed a quart-sized bag of liquids that contain bottles of 100 milliliters or less of liquids.
That’s a lot of single-shot medicated lemonades.
Cartridges
Agents are just as accustomed to seeing e-cigarettes as they are organic material.
Most cartridges will pass inspection just fine.
Keep the cartridges in the bag full of liquids.
It might be smart to double wrap them in case they leak with the pressure change in the cabin.
Your battery easily blends in with your stationery, but agents don’t stop people for having modded units, either.
Flower
Conceal the smell.
As long as your bag doesn’t smell like cannabis, it won’t be opened for containing a medically-legal amount of it.
Under the scanner, it looks like more organic material.
It could just as likely be a small loaf of zucchini bread.
Concentrates
Conceal the smell.
It looks like more organic material.
Can I Vape On a Plane?
Vaping medical marijuana while on an airplane is illegal.
Tampering with the smoke detectors is illegal.
Just wait until you get off the plane.
Flying With Cannabis Is Taking Off in Popularity
Westword once reported that a poll from 2017 showed that over half of the respondents indicated they had flown with cannabis.
Whether that poll is a reliable indicator of the majority of Americans is unclear.
However, as cannabis legalizes across the United States, people don’t seem to be as worried about flying with a small stash.
Have you flown with cannabis? Let us know in the comments what your experience was like!