Airlines better stock up on munchies – PB/TK
Can I fly with my legal weed? The skies are surprisingly friendly for marijuana users –
Marijuana is legal now in eight states and medical marijuana is legal in 28. That’s a lot of places where at least some people can possess the demon weed. But what if you’re in one of those places and you want to fly elsewhere? If pot is legal, can I take it on the plane?
Well, that depends.
The first thing to remember is that even in states where marijuana is legal, it’s still illegal under federal law. At the airport, or even in your backyard in California, a federal agent could theoretically arrest you for violating the Controlled Substances Act just for possessing a small amount of weed. There is that. Given the DEA’s manpower limitations, though, that is an extremely unlikely prospect. Still, it’s a reality worth keeping in the back of your mind.
The second thing to remember is that, even though it’s part of a federal agency, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) doesn’t really care about marijuana. Those nice people who pat you down and check your bags at the airport are concerned with items that could compromise the safety of the airplane and its passengers; they’re looking for bombs, not buds.
Here’s the official TSA policy: “TSA security officers do not search for marijuana or other drugs. 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. Whether or not marijuana is considered legal under local law is not relevant to TSA screening because TSA is governed by federal law. Federal law provides no basis to treat medical marijuana any differently than non-medical marijuana. 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.
Continue to salon.com article: http://www.salon.com/2017/03/14/can-i-fly-with-my-legal-weed_partner/
