If you’re trying to get from point A to point B with cannabis- the good news is that it’s getting easier all the time! The relaxation of laws and decriminalization of being in the possession of cannabis makes taking weed on a plane that much easier. That said, taking cannabis on planes, or in cars over state or international borders, is still tricky business. RealFunctional.com DOES NOT in any way endorse breaking the law, and this article reflects ONLY the author’s personal experience and opinion of traveling with marijuana as medicinal patient and a recreational user. Back to the good news- I have successfully taken personal amounts of cannabis (one eighth of an ounce or less) with me on flights within California, and even between California and Nevada, without any trouble. How did I go about this?
The first thing I did was my homework! I double checked what the state and airport laws are about traveling with cannabis, and did find that while in federal airspace, it is technically not legal to have weed on your person. Yet, LAX is actively not looking for personal drug stashes. Airport security is looking for weapons and things that can derail the safety of a plane. That said, large quantities of illegal drugs will probably get noticed, and get you arrested. This is not the dark web wiki for drug mules however, so a regular user’s personal amount should be fine. My last trip, this past Thanksgiving, a jar of CBD bath epsom salts was flagged by security at Sacramento International Airport, and while they opened my bag and the jar to inspect its contents, the joint right inside a sealed tube next to the salts was promptly ignored. Since cannabis is legal in California, I imagine that joints and eighths get ignored frequently. I have read different advice articles on whether or not you should keep your weed in your carry-on or checked bag, but traveling within or between cannabis-legal states, carry-on has never created a problem in my personal experience.
Going beyond cannabis safe boundaries is where I would exercise more caution. Part of doing your homework means… is there cannabis available on the ground where you’re going? If so, then don’t risk losing the money and doing some hard time if you can procure your goods at your end location. If you simply MUST bring a small stash, I recommend double air-sealing, packing within a bag of coffee beans, and keeping with other dried goods not too buried in your bag. That way, if you have to deny ownership, you can claim ignorance. Another alternative, if you have an address to ship to, is to snugly pack your cannabis (within coffee, again) and ship it off, without a return address. Yes, you risk losing cannabis, but I have sent and received multiple cannabis care packages (disclaimer: within California) without a snag.
The best pro-tip I can advocate for cannabis travel however, is beyond a doubt, edibles! How innocuous to take a baggie of snacks for your flight! I am shocked by how many of my cannabis using friends have never even thought to try this. Obviously, the big issue here is what if you don’t want to rely on only edibles, or you simply don’t prefer them? Then you have to gamble with the risk of traveling with flower. Taking a variety of edibles, removing their packaging, but taking photos of the labels and doses to have on your phone, is the easiest, least-risky method of traveling anywhere with cannabis. Don’t psych yourself out; cannabis is easier to deal with traveling than you think; rely on edibles in a pinch! Safe travels, friends.
