As this post is being written, school districts are gearing up for the end of the year. That means parents are getting ready for summer vacations. Both families and single adults will spend the next several months traveling domestically and abroad. Cannabis should not be part of the equation.
Unless a cannabis user intends to stay within their own state, leaving cannabis home is the best move. Trying to take it across state lines or internationally is a recipe for disaster.
Do you use cannabis recreationally or medically? If so, do not risk ruining your vacation with potential prosecution. Leave the cannabis at home.
Legal Status in the U.S.
For right now, cannabis (marijuana) remains a Schedule I controlled substance under federal law. The chances are pretty high it will be moved to Schedule III by the end of the year. But even rescheduling does not legalize recreational marijuana. It also does not legalize medical cannabis in states that do not allow it.
What does this have to do with summer vacation? For starters, it means you cannot legally cross state lines with cannabis in your possession. Despite cannabis being legal in both California and Oregon, carrying it from one state to the next is a federal crime. It might also be a state crime.
Then there are states like Utah, where only medical consumption is allowed. It is also strictly regulated. All medical cannabis consumed in the state must be purchased at a state-licensed dispensary, like Beehive Farmacy. Even medical cannabis patients are not allowed to bring cannabis with them into Utah.
Not Allowed on Flights
Although it is not smart to cross state lines with cannabis in your car, the chances of being caught are pretty low unless you commit a traffic infraction or are arrested for another crime. Taking cannabis on a plane is an entirely different matter.
Aviation in this country is regulated by the federal government. Whether under Schedule I or Schedule III, cannabis cannot be legally taken on flights originating anywhere in the U.S. That means both domestic and international flights.
If you attempt to take cannabis on a flight and get caught, you could face charges. Why take that chance, especially given the airport security we all know so well? There are other ways to accomplish what you are after without taking a controlled substance on a plane.
Choose Your Destination Accordingly
One way to overcome the restrictions of traveling with cannabis is to choose your destination accordingly. For example, perhaps one of your vacation options is to visit family in Utah. You’re in luck. Utah offers what is known as a visitor’s card. It is a temporary medical cannabis card issued to visitors and good for three weeks. If you have a medical cannabis card in your own state, you can probably get a Utah visitor’s card.
Maybe you’re not a medical cannabis user. Instead, you are a recreational user who believes that cannabis is intrinsic to getting the most possible enjoyment out of your vacation. Fine. Choose a destination with legal recreational marijuana.
Stateside, you have destinations in eighteen states to choose from – including California and New York. Your international options will be somewhat more limited. Canada is one of them. The Netherlands is another.
No matter what you choose to do for vacation this year, be smart about cannabis. Do not attempt to travel with it as either a medical or recreational user. If you do and get caught, you could wind up regretting your decision for a very long time.
