Just because you’re flying within a green state, or from one green state to another doesn’t mean you should bring weed with you. Flying with cannabis can bring up some tricky questions, but the bottom line is you’re technically not allowed to do it — even if you’re a medical marijuana patient.
All airports and airplanes are under federal jurisdiction, which means that bringing cannabis, a federally prohibited drug, into what’s meant to be a sterile environment carries some legal risks.
“Whether or not marijuana is considered legal under local law is not relevant to TSA {Transportation Security Administration} screening because TSA is governed by federal law,” the TSA website reads. “Federal law provides no basis to treat medical marijuana any differently than non-medical marijuana.”
That said, many people of course flout this rule. And as more states legalize, the TSA often looks the other way or fails to notice when people sneak vape pens, edibles, and other cannabis products onto airplanes.
“TSA security officers do not search for marijuana or other drugs,” the administration states online. “In the event a substance that appears to be marijuana is observed during security screening, TSA will refer the matter to a law enforcement officer.”
The extent to which this would become an issue also depends on how much weed you’re carrying with you.
“Even if an item is generally permitted, it may be subject to additional screening or not allowed through the checkpoint if it triggers an alarm during the screening process, appears to have been tampered with, or poses other security concerns. The final decision rests with TSA on whether to allow any items on the plane.”
There’s a big difference between transporting enough weed to sell upon landing, versus enough for a couple days out of town.
If you are going to fly with it cannabis, be sure not to bring along anything else, such as a container of liquid, that would trigger a search. It’s usually also recommended to pack your stash in carry on, which is less likely to be searched regardless. Vape pens often look like actual pens going through security, while cannabis capsules may look like regular pills in a pill bottle.
However, if you’re going to another state where you can buy weed legally, it might be smart to not bring any at all.
