Flying High: Is It Safe to Travel with Weed?

According to the Transportation Security Administration, medical marijuana products with “no more than 0.3 percent THC on a dry weight basis or that are approved by the FDA” are eligible for carry-on and checked bags.

In other words, you’re allowed to bring federally legalized cannabidiol (CBD) and hemp products on a plane. However, that medical marijuana flower you picked up from your local dispensary likely isn’t allowed. That is, unless it contains less than 0.3% THC (news flash, most don’t).

Furthermore, depending on where you fly to, you need to be careful about flying with hemp products. For example, while delta-8 THC products technically qualify as federally legal, some states have banned them. Therefore, you’ll want to be careful flying from Massachusetts to Idaho with a delta-8 cartridge in your pocket.

Admittedly, marijuana isn’t the biggest concern TSA has. Rather, they are looking for “potential threats to aviation and passengers,” such as explosives and weapons.

TSA is not law enforcement. Therefore, if TSA finds marijuana in your luggage, they don’t have the power to arrest you. However, they can call the local police, who would have to follow local laws in these situations.

In most cases, this may result in a slap on the wrist. Still, if the amount you attempt to travel with exceeds a “personal supply,” there may be reason for law enforcement to believe you’re illegally selling marijuana. What exceeds a personal supply depends on the state you live in — some allow up to half an ounce, while others allow up to three ounces.

Whether or not you can be “high” on a flight ultimately comes down to you. While airline policies claim that intoxicated passengers can’t fly, this rule is only in place for poor behavior. Similar to how a drunk passenger can be disregarded from a flight (and there are plenty of bars in airports these days).

More specifically, Delta’s rules claim the following is not allowed on a flight: “the passenger’s conduct is disorderly, abusive, or violent, or the passenger appears to be intoxicated or under the influence of drugs.”

Still, if you keep your cool while you’re “high” on cannabis, TSA and flight attendants likely won’t be able to tell.

Attempting to travel internationally with marijuana is a huge no-no. Most countries continue to outright ban marijuana, and the laws in these foreign territories can be extreme. You can potentially face hefty fines and very severe punishments, even for the possession of a personal amount. We DO NOT recommend you even risk bringing marijuana on an international flight.

Unless it’s a CBD product, we don’t recommend you risk taking marijuana on a flight. While domestic travel may not cause legal issues, it could cause delays in your ability to get to your flight. And nobody wants to risk that.

If you need marijuana where you travel, we recommend picking some up at the location. Just enough to get you through your stay.

Admittedly, if you’re a medical marijuana cardholder, your prescription will not work in other states (even if they’re medically legalized). Therefore, it may be worth consulting your doctor before you travel for a temporary alternative.