I may be shooting myself in the foot by saying this, but I used to travel from New York to Florida with cannabis on me for years. Yes, I know - extraordinarily idiotic and reckless. But that's what college kids are supposed to do. Be reckless and pretend that you are untouchable from consequences or legal ramifications. Fortunately, I was never caught. But this was also well before the airports started leaning into using police K–9s and many, many years before the x-ray body scan machine they now use. I was young, dumb, and extremely fortunate to be a white-passing Puerto Rican woman. Or maybe the TSA didn't care.

Even though cannabis is illegal on the federal level, there are many confusing articles about whether you should or could travel with cannabis. And for all those who are planning on traveling with cannabis for the holidays, perhaps you should give it a second thought. Even though many take cannabis medicinally, possess medical marijuana cards for their state, and may not be interested in traveling with a large amount of cannabis, there is still a risk. Continue reading below for both sides of the argument.

To Travel With Cannabis

First, I am not promoting traveling with cannabis since it is illegal. However, if you are going to travel with cannabis, there are some upsides to taking it on the plane rather than driving with it in your vehicle or on your person. The reason why is because many on-duty police officers tend to specifically target cars with out-of-state license plates for even the slightest misstep of the law. If there is even a hint of a cannabis smell lingering in the vehicle, you've now given them probable cause to search your vehicle.

Flying with cannabis, on the other hand, has some upsides. "TSA posted a brief public service announcement of sorts on Instagram on the matter of traveling with cannabis, stating, 'Let us be blunt: TSA officers DO NOT search for marijuana or other illegal drugs. Our screening procedures are focused on security and detecting potential threats." (L.A. Cannabis News, 2021).

Because they are more focused on detecting potential threats does not permit you to be careless and reckless with how you pack your cannabis. Other cannabis-positive sites have recommended sealing your cannabis in your carry-on bag rather than your checked bag, as checked bags may be subject to random searches. "Put any joints in a pill bottle or plastic bag mixed in with other things." (Road Affair, 2021). You could also consider small edibles as a "safer" way to go, mixing them in with gummy vitamins. This also does not mean that there won't be consequences if a TSA agent catches you with cannabis. "Accordingly, TSA security officers do not search for marijuana or other illegal drugs, but if any illegal substance is discovered during security screening, TSA will refer the matter to a law enforcement officer." (Transportation Security Administration, nd).

Not To Travel With Cannabis

If you decide not to travel with cannabis, there is, of course, the upside to playing it safe, legally speaking. Some of the consequences of getting caught with cannabis can be pretty steep. "The DEA officially states that even for a first offense, transporting less than 50 kg of marijuana can merit a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine." (Road Affair, 2021). That sounds like quite the predicament. So if you can travel without carrying any cannabis with you, that is probably the safest way to go.

However, suppose you are genuinely a cannabis user due to medical reasons such as PTSD, arthritis, a cancer patient, etc. In that case, you now run the risk of your symptoms kicking in as well as side effects to stopping your cannabis medication. Side effects or withdrawals of cannabis can include:

Feelings of anger, irritability, and aggressiveness

Sensations of extreme nervousness or anxiety

Disturbances with sleep can have insomnia or alarming dreams, and even nightmares

A decrease in appetite that may or may not is associated with a significant loss of weight

Feelings of restlessness and general malaise

The onset of feelings of depression

Physical symptoms cause significant distress, such as abdominal pain, fever, chills, sweating, headache, and tremors or shakiness. (Crane, 2021).

With that being said, there are pitfalls on both sides of the spectrum when it comes to traveling or not traveling with cannabis. Until it becomes federally legal, there isn't a cut-and-dry answer to what any cannabis user should do. The decision is entirely up to you, but now you see both the positives and negatives to traveling with or without cannabis during the holidays.

Resources:

Crane, Marisa. Marijuana Withdrawal: Symptoms, Timeline & Treatment. 2021, November 19. American Addiction Centers. https://americanaddictioncenters.org/withdrawal-timelines-treatments/weed-marijuana.

L.A. Cannabis News. TSA and cannabis: What you need to know. 2021, December 18. https://lacannabisnews.com/tsa-and-cannabis-what-you-need-to-know/v.

Road Affair. Everything You Need to Know About Traveling with Cannabis. 2021, September 23. https://www.roadaffair.com/traveling-with-cannabis/.

Transportation Security Administration. Medical Marijuana. Nd. TSA.gov. https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/medical-marijuana.