Can you take CBD on a plane?
It’s becoming increasingly popular and it’s legal at the federal level, so naturally people are frequently asking the question: can you take CBD on a plane?
Trying to travel anywhere during the holiday season is enough of a reason to seek out the relaxing effects of CBD.
CBD is the most prevalent compound found in the hemp plant, which is in the cannabis family. Because of this, most people would understandably make the assumption that the TSA wouldn’t be too keen on passengers bringing this product.
Related: What is CBD?
What Does The TSA Have to Say About CBD on Flights?
The official stance of the TSA for CBD: What can I Bring on My Flight? was quietly updated in May of 2019. It states: “Marijuana and certain cannabis infused products, including some
Cannabidiol (CBD) oil, remain illegal under federal law except for products that contain no more than 0.3 percent THC on a dry weight basis or that are approved by FDA.”
Meaning if you have the legal limit of THC (0.3% or less) then you’re good to bring CBD on both your carry-on or checked luggage. This means you can carry both Full Spectrum CBD or CBD isolate products.
Related: Full Spectrum vs Isolate
So, then why did we all hear about this travelling grandmother that was jailed for carrying CBD?
Simply put: the TSA doesn’t search for drugs of any kind.
They search for items that could pose a safety threat to other passengers like explosives or sharp objects that can be used as weapons.
(Somehow shampoo over 3 ounces also made it on that list.)
If and when the TSA finds suspicious substances they’ll refer it over to law enforcement. The local law enforcement will abide by their laws and standards which change from state to state. You won’t have a problem in most states buying and carrying CBD oil.
But Virginia for example, requires CBD to be purchased with a prescription only.
In the case regarding the travelling grandmother above, an elderly woman travelling through the Dallas/Ft. Worth International Airport. She was jailed after TSA agents turned CBD over to the local law enforcement officers who made the arrest because the laws on CBD in Texas were unclear at the time.
Another big issue at that time (May 21st 2019) was that the TSA did not clarify their policy on CBD for flights. The week after this incident occurred, the TSA updated their policy (see picture above). No doubt, this was to prevent incidents like this from occurring.
What About Travelling to A State Where CBD is Illegal?
There are still 3 states where CBD is illegal:
Idaho, Nebraska and South Dakota.
But, Idaho will allow CBD if it’s less than 0.3% and made from certain parts of the plant. You can see that law here
South Dakota is very clear stating that CBD in all forms is illegal, so whatever you do, don’t carry CBD anywhere in that state.
It Get’s Trickier Though
Let’s say you bring CBD on a plane with you. The TSA flags it thinking it’s marijuana after they see a label with a big hemp leaf on it.
They call over law enforcement to perform a field test to see whether this is CBD or it contains large amounts of THC, which would mean it’s marijuana.
The problem is, almost every law enforcement agency uses a field test that can’t differentiate between CBD and THC. So your CBD oil will test positive for marijuana in the field.
This could lead to trouble and possibly an arrest.
There Are Solutions
Since no one is really offering the info of whether you can take CBD on a plane, take the initiative.
Print the CoA (certificate of analysis) for you CBD oil and pack them together so the TSA agent can view them and understand that this is not marijuana but hemp-derived CBD. You want the TSA to understand that this is an item that is allowed to be carried on the plane and not a drug, there’s no need to bring law enforcement over and complicate the situation. Any reputable CBD brand will have a CoA readily available on their site.
Related: How to Read A Lab Test
A surefire way to avoid all problems is to purchase a product and have it shipped to your destination. We offer free shipping to all 50 states so if you’re looking to travel with your CBD products, we can get them there in 3 days or less, guaranteed (Monday-Saturday)!
CBD Travel FAQs
[sc_fs_multi_faq headline-0=”h2″ question-0=”Does TSA allow CBD on flights?” answer-0= “Yes. The TSA allows CBD that has <0.3% THC in checked and carry-on luggage, this can be found on their website as well.” image-0=”” headline-1=”h2″ question-1=”Can I travel to Europe with CBD?” answer-1=”There are several countries in Europe where CBD is legal, but customs agents will decide whether they want to confiscate your products or not. And that’s if they find it.” image-1=”” headline-2=”h2″ question-2=”Can TSA dogs smell CBD oil?” answer-2=”No. The TSA’s dogs are trained to sniff out drugs on large scales to prevent trafficking. They can’t detect CBD, unless you’re flying with several pounds/kilograms.” image-2=”” count=”3″ html=”true” css_class=””]