As this post is being written, Americans are already thinking about 2025 holiday travel plans. Some will be driving through multiple states on the way to visit family. Others will be flying. And of course, the Christmas holidays are a fantastic time to go cruising. But what if you are hoping to travel as a medical cannabis patient?
There are things to consider depending on how and where you are traveling. Note that what is discussed in the following paragraphs is not limited to holiday travel. It applies year-round. Know what you are doing before you travel with cannabis.
Driving With Medical Cannabis
Driving with medical cannabis is fine if your travels are confined to a state in which medical cannabis is legal. Let’s use Utah as an example. Let’s say you purchased medical cannabis from Salt Lake City’s Beehive Farmacy. You’re planning to spend the holidays with family in Washington County.
Driving from Salt Lake City to your family member’s residence isn’t going to be a problem as long as you’re not carrying more than a 30-day supply. Driving with medical cannabis only becomes a problem when you cross state borders. Cannabis remains a Schedule I controlled substance under federal law. As such, transporting it across state lines is a federal crime. If you are pulled over after leaving your home state, you could be in trouble.
Flying With Medical Cannabis
The federal government regulates aviation in the U.S. So, you guessed it: boarding any commercial flight with medical cannabis is against the law. Any products containing THC in excess of 0.3% by volume is prohibited.
You shouldn’t have a problem if your medicines are CBD-based. But be incredibly careful of THC products derived from CBD. The debate over whether CBD-derived cannabinoids like delta-8 THC are legal is ongoing. So do not take your chances.
Cruising With Medical Cannabis
Like commercial flights, cruise ship departures from U.S. ports are regulated by the federal government. You are not allowed to take medical cannabis into a cruise terminal. You are also not allowed to buy cannabis in a foreign port and carry it onto the ship for the purposes of bringing it home.
The same thing applies to synthetic cannabinoids derived from CBD. Don’t take the chance of having your holiday ruined. Just avoid them until you get home.
The Enforcement Question
Enforcement is always a question when discussing how to travel with medical cannabis. Let us look at three scenarios:
- Interstate Driving – Although carrying medical cannabis across state lines is illegal, enforcement is highly questionable. Law enforcement would have to have some compelling reason to pull you over and check your car. Behave yourself on the road and you will probably be okay.
- Flying Anywhere – Flying on any commercial flight isn’t going to work with medical cannabis. Your bags will be checked and your medicines will be found. Fly on a private flight, and enforcement becomes more difficult. As with driving, you would have to provide a compelling reason before authorities could investigate.
- Cruising Anywhere – Terminal security checks passenger luggage before it is allowed onboard. The chances are fairly high that medical cannabis in a person’s bags will be found. Even if legal enforcement efforts are not taken, you could be banned from the cruise. You could also be banned from future cruises with that line.
Traveling with medical cannabis is straightforward in the sense that any travel outside of your own state is illegal. Be very careful and know the risks you are taking should you choose to travel with medical cannabis in your bags.
