Nowadays, healing cannabis is widely distributed throughout the United States territory as a cheap, versatile, and very «enjoyable» medication — which is a great victory in terms of recent drug legalization campaigns, mostly, held by USA Medical Marijuana Program throughout country borders.
Most of the time within which marijuana is widely popularized as a relieving drug, cannabis is still a criminal drug in most states.
Despite the decriminalization of cannabis for recreational and medicinal purposes in the different USA states, the question of traveling around the country with marijuana in your pocket remains pretty actual — especially at airports where current safety standards require that each fold of clothing be searched, identifying the owners of weapons, prohibited substances, and to prevent smuggling.
In this article, we will consider the main aspects of a successful and convenient trip, even if you would prefer to travel with some amount of cannabis.
In our comprehensive article, we will reveal the main aspects of a successful trip, even if you have to fly with marijuana with you for therapeutic or banal recreational purposes, in particular, how not to spoil your comfortable and unobtrusive flight from one state to another.
Legislative Terms and Laws
Currently, the most liberal state with regard to marijuana use and possibilities taking weed on a plane — California — is rather unpretentious with regard to marijuana on board an aircraft, if it is officially prescribed by a qualified medic, which is an active member of the official State Medical Marijuana Program and the person has the relevant recommendations or issued plastic MMJ card with him. Los Angeles International Airport allowed passengers over 21 years old to carry on board a plane up to 28.5 grams of classic marijuana and 8 grams of concentrated cannabis.
Modern U.S. residents are also often interested in the issue of crossing the border with Canada. Canada is the second country in the world to fully legalize marijuana as a recreational tool and an excellent way to refresh the atmosphere. In addition to Canada, the use of cannabis for personal use is legalized in the following world countries — Uruguay, Switzerland, Ecuador, Mexico, Spain, Belize, Netherlands, Portugal, etc.
Regulatory laws regarding international travel and bringing weed on a plane are ambiguous and vary by country, as well as bringing edibles. In any case, even residents of countries, which completely legalized healing or recreational marijuana should definitely check the legality of the status of import of this substance into the hosting country.
Otherwise, you can be deployed right at the guest airport or even apply administrative or criminal measures. In many countries of the world, especially the countries of the East and Asia, even a small amount of marijuana prescribed by a doctor or substances containing CBD can have very serious consequences, up to imprisonment or an overwhelming mulct.
US Cannabis Flight Legal Terms
Despite the highly dependable policy of liberalizing marijuana across the United States territory, even minimal-dose medical cannabis is still banned in most states, or it is forbidden to carry it with you during a flight from state to state. The marijuana legal status card is available on this website.
In any case, the airport staff will search your belongings, and in case of questions about transported recreational or medical marijuana, they will contact representatives of law enforcement agencies to clarify the circumstances and goals of the trip.
If you plan to cross the border with Canada (especially if you plan to fly with cannabis), then you should be aware of the fact that despite the legalization of marijuana in a number of U.S. states and the liberality of its northern neighbors, combined with equally free laws regarding cannabis, the transport of grass or substances containing CBD remains officially prohibited.
Even if cannabis is prescribed by a doctor and you have official permission with you in the form of an approved recommendation or plastic medical marijuana card, which you can get at dr-weedy.com, you can still be denied entry into the country and confiscated cannabis-based medical products during searching among X-Ray checked luggage (as well as in a case, when you bring edibles on a plane).
The terms for marijuana transportation on board, in particular, apply to food products containing THC or CBD. Depending on the state, this amount may vary, but if you bring food containing marijuana or its derivatives with you, then you need not worry about airport checks — almost all food products are subject to the same customs laws, which may vary certain statewide names.
More recently, in one of the largest cities in Canada — Montreal, the government officials announced an increase in the limit on the carried weight of cannabis within country borders to 150 g, but only if there is a medical certificate on the use of marijuana exclusively for your own treatment. In the case of visiting the airport, each person should have a doctor’s certificate with them if they want to bring more marijuana or cannabis oil with them than the laws of Canada to allow (30 g of marijuana inflorescences or 100 g of cannabis oil).
How to Carry Weed Aboard an Airplane without a Parachute «Just In Case»?
In fact, given the liberal attitude of the United States authorities towards cannabis and related products, it is not so difficult to carry marijuana with you. You can simply put your weed in your carry-on baggage, but you should inform airport security and services personnel. In this case, you will not be searched by dogs for a revealing a fact of concealed carry medical marijuana, therefore you don’t need to hide cannabis or medical supplies containing CBD in food packaging or bury under tons of clothing. The main thing is not to forget to check in your baggage.
If you have to check in your luggage, then you can, of course, show some creativity and hide marijuana under clothes or even underwear, but then do not be surprised at a mutual stupor if your person arouses suspicion among law enforcement officials.
If you pre-apply for an MMJ ID card issuance, then you will not have any problems flying to those states where the use of recreational and healing cannabis is fully authorized — Nevada, California, Washington, and Oregon and others.
Taking-Weed-On-a-Plane Details and Hints
Each state has an official recommendation that allows you to carry a certain amount of marijuana with you. For example, in one of the most liberal states regarding the medical and recreational use of cannabis in California, you will be given a recommendation formally approved by a qualified physician, and you will also be listed on the State Medical Marijuana Program. In other states, you can get the same recommendation or draw up a plastic MMJ card with inclusion in a common database.
So, what to do if you still find cannabis or medicines based on it during a search at the airport, especially taking into account a fact that airport scanners see weed and medicines. The first thing you should worry about is the availability of relevant documents — if you have a prescription from a doctor or a registered MMJ card, then the conflict can be reduced to paying a fine, possible confiscation of medicines, and avoiding administrative or criminal prosecution.
The form of the medical product and the amount of marijuana are of key importance (just as in a situation when you take edibles on a plane, and in that particular country such fruits or other products are prohibited) — even an official approved certificate from a qualified doctor will not help you if you find dozens of grams of marijuana hidden.
If you want the flight to go as calmly as possible, then it is strongly recommended that you don’t go into the details of transporting marijuana on board the plane and avoid a search of personal belongings — in this case, if your identity doesn’t cause suspicion among the airport employees, you can board the plane without paying attention to the presence of a small amount of marijuana in hand luggage. If you have an MMJ card with you, see then you don’t have to worry about the search at all, the main thing is not to bring more marijuana with you than is allowed due to US laws.
Basic Air Travel Advice Carrying MJ
First of all, even at the stage of checking baggage and your own belongings, be sure to check the information regarding the rules of legislation in a particular country, state or city.
For a safe flight between cities between marijuana, it is advisable to study state policy not regarding the sale of medical and recreational marijuana, but on the import and export of cannabis across the state border. In many states, legislation regarding the storage and transport of cannabis across borders can vary significantly.
If you are not checked at the airport, and then in the city, during the check, law enforcement officers have serious questions about your cannabis, then this is an unpleasant, but happening and insulting accident.
In addition, many states have different laws regarding edible marijuana products — if you can import cookies, chocolate, and other goodies in some states, you can only carry medical cannabis in strictly specified quantities to some others.
At the airport, try not to attract special attention and not to interest law enforcement officers. If you are completely sure that all the documents and permits are with you — you can carry cannabis in your hand luggage, handing the rest of your things in luggage. In any case, it is strongly dissuaded to hand over cannabis or medicines containing CBD in general luggage — you may have problems with a general search of passengers’ luggage (sometimes, preventive examinations are carried out with the participation of police dogs).
If you were not checked during the general inspection of the passenger queue, and you identified marijuana already during the flight or after landing, you have the right to refer to the airport personnel from which the departure took place. If during an examination on an X-ray machine you have discovered unauthorized marijuana or drugs based on it, then you may be detained to clarify the circumstances, but most often it is a quick procedure, which only involves checking identification documents and having permission to store a certain amount of marijuana.
Conclusion
When moving around the territory of the United States, in most cases you should have no problems transporting the amount of medical cannabis that complies with the legislation (regarding recreational varieties and other marijuana-based products, you should check the information – data from state to state can differ significantly). The main thing is to have all the necessary documents with you. In particular, you will need an identification card (a driver’s license is also suitable) and a doctor-approved recommendation or a plastic ID card that confirms your membership in the state medical marijuana program.
Recently, the industry for growing and distributing medical marijuana is in its heyday, and more liberal laws are being introduced in many US states regarding the storage of cannabis for personal use.
When traveling, it is highly recommended that you equip your personal cannabis stock with all the necessary regulatory documentation to avoid legal problems. Before the luggage checking, prepare an approved recommendation from the qualified doctor, MMJ ID card and personal ID(or driver license).
At airports, as in other public places, you will be asked all the necessary questions regarding the availability of prohibited substances. In this case, medicinal cannabis can be left in a locker at the airport — in the event that the destination is in the state where the import of marijuana is prohibited.
Even at the stage of preparing for the trip, you need to adhere to the following rules:
Clarify the legality of transporting marijuana to the territory of the target state, specify the maximum number and list of required documents;
Prepare the necessary documents. Most likely, you will need an approved recommendation from a qualified medic or an issued MMJ card;
Pack marijuana in a container or suitcase to look as correct as possible during the search. You should not look like a drug dealer, even if at the Los Angeles airport, in addition to several pairs of Hawaiian shorts, you have with you the maximum 28 grams of your favorite weed.
