(NEXSTAR) — It’s already a busy time for travel this summer — the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Reports As of early June, seven of the agency’s 10 busiest travel days occurred in 2024, meaning there’s a good chance people will be going through airport security checks soon.
There are a lot of items you’re allowed to bring with you when you go through a TSA checkpoint. Sure, you might have to quickly gulp down that bottle of water you forgot to pour, or put your shampoo in a small travel container, but other than that, you shouldn’t have any problems.
Traveling with marijuana, regardless of what form it comes in, can get a bit complicated.
More and more states have legalized marijuana for recreational and medical use in recent years, with Ohio becoming the 24th state to do so in 2023. Kentucky also legalized medical marijuana last year, but patients must wait until next year when the program officially launches.
Federal officials also appear poised to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug in the US, which wouldn’t mean immediate nationwide legalization but could be a step in that direction.
But until then, bringing marijuana in your carry-on luggage could result in more delays than if a sudden thunderstorm were to break out directly above the airport.
Can I bring edibles and CBD products through TSA?
It depends. The TSA has Some guidelines Cannabis products you can bring in checked or carry-on baggage: Must contain 0.3% THC or less on a dry weight basis and be approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
Currently, the FDA has approved only four such products: Epidiolex, which is cannabidiol (CBD); and the three synthetic cannabis-related drugs Marinol and Syndros (both thought to be dronabinol), Cesamet ( Nabilone,this is Used to treat nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy.
So, if your edibles or CBD products meet these requirements, you can bring them on the plane.
These rules apply regardless of the airport or state of departure or arrival.
What if I have other marijuana products?
You may or may not be stopped by a TSA agent. After all, TSA agents are “focused on detecting security threats and protecting the nation’s transportation system,” a TSA spokesperson told Nexstar.
“If during the security screening process an item is determined to pose a potential security threat, additional screening will occur,” the spokesperson added. “If during that additional screening TSA officers discover something that violates local, state or federal law, TSA will report the matter to the appropriate law enforcement agency. TSA remains focused on fulfilling our transportation security priorities.”
A TSA spokesperson previously told Nexstar that agents don’t search for marijuana or other illegal drugs, but that they should report any they find during screening. Local law enforcement then decides what, if any, action to take.
“TSA goes out of its way to say they’re not focused on marijuana,” Larry Mishkin, an Illinois attorney with the Hoban Law Group, which provides legal services to individuals in the marijuana industry, previously said. The Washington Post.
What if marijuana is legal in the state I am traveling to or from?
You can bring marijuana products that comply with the TSA regulations listed above, but you may have to surrender the items you bring before passing through the security checkpoint.
At some airports, Chicago O’Harethere are amnesty boxes where travelers can drop off their cannabis before security checks. Warning Passengers were warned that airport police do not have the authority to arrest individuals for complying with California’s marijuana laws, but that TSA “screening stations are under federal jurisdiction.”
Additionally, due to TSA rules regarding marijuana, airlines may not allow such products to be brought on planes. Delta Airlines and American AirlinesFor example, US airlines explicitly state that passengers are not permitted to bring marijuana on board their planes, with the latter stating that “anyone carrying or bringing marijuana on board a US aircraft does so at their own risk.”
