Can You Bring Edibles on a Plane?

If flying makes you nervous, you may have wondered whether it is possible to take your edibles or cannabis gummies on an airplane. Cannabis can have a calming effect and reduce your anxiety, after all.

However, before you take your edibles on a plane, there are a few things that you need to consider first. 

Edible cannabis

Edible cannabis, like the cannabis gummies, is becoming increasingly popular. Edibles refer to the cannabis products that you can eat or drink. 

There is a vast range of edibles available, including:

• Baked goods such as brownies and cookies
• Confectionery items such as chocolate or cannabis gummies
• Drinks
• Supplements

Many people opt for homemade edibles because they can decide which and how much of each cannabis product to add. 

Cannabis edibles are quite discreet – when looking at these products, most people would not suspect that they contain any cannabis. 

Because of this discreetness, many people have wondered whether it is possible to sneak their edibles into places where they are not allowed. 

However, before you do that, you need to think seriously about the consequences you will face if you happen to get caught. 

Plus, since edibles look very different from other forms of cannabis – most just look like regular foods – it can be easy to forget that they are controlled substances. 

Many of the rules, laws, or regulations that apply to typical cannabis products also apply to edibles.

When traveling by airplane, your edibles are not exempt from any of the rules or laws that apply to cannabis use and transportation. 

Are edibles legal on a plane?

The quick answer is no (1). According to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), taking cannabis products on an airplane is illegal. 

The TSA states that marijuana and cannabis-infused products remain illegal under federal law. Because of this, it is illegal to take cannabis or cannabis products on a plane, and that includes edible cannabis. 

There are some exceptions to this rule. For instance, products that contain no more than 0.3 % THC are allowed. Additionally, specific FDA-approved THC products might also be allowed. However, these exceptions do not apply to edibles. 

You’ll also need to take extra precautions with cannabidiol and CBD products.  The TSA states that some CBD products remain illegal, although it does not elaborate on what these products are. 

Medicinal cannabis might also be allowed. If you have medicinal cannabis, you will need to discuss its transportation with your doctor before taking it on a flight. 

Medicinal cannabis also requires a prescription from your doctor – that means you cannot under any circumstances fly with self-prescribed medical cannabis.

Essentially, the take-home message here is that most cannabis products are illegal for air travel.

Because there’s so much uncertainty surrounding which exact cannabis products you can legally bring on a plane, it pays to check ahead. 

You can check with your specific airline as a precaution. They should be well informed on this topic and could answer any queries you have. 

One thing you can be sure of is that taking cannabis to another country is definitely illegal.

Another thing to be aware of is that some planes do not allow their passengers to bring food or drinks of any kind onto a flight. This is especially common with international flights. 

What happens if you get caught with cannabis on a plane? 

According to their website, the TSA does not search for marijuana or other illegal drugs. Instead, their primary focus is to detect and eliminate any potential threats to planes and their passengers. 

However, the TSA does state that if they happen to come across any cannabis during an airport security check, they will have to alert a law enforcement officer. 

After the law enforcement officer has been alerted, they’ll need to assess the situation and decide what actions to take. 

American Airlines states that anyone who brings cannabis products onto a flight does so at their own risk (2). While airline companies are aware that cannabis is legal in some states, they still have to adhere to federal law. 

Therefore, if you get caught with edibles on a flight, a law enforcement officer will step in. Specific procedures regarding this matter may differ from officer to officer (3). 

Again, there is an element of uncertainty here – there are no clear guidelines for what punishment you might receive. However, it might be worth noting that some people have received jail time for transporting or ingesting marijuana on a plane. 

Other potential punishments include fines and travel bans Yet another (albeit more minor) consequence of being found with marijuana at the airport is potentially missing your flight. Airlines almost certainly will not refund you in this situation. 

Cannabis is not legal everywhere

Even if you decide to take cannabis on a plane and you manage to get away with it, you should also realize that cannabis is not legal everywhere. 

If you are traveling to another state that prohibits cannabis, your edibles can get confiscated, and if they are you will face punishment according to local laws. 

There are still some states which limit the use of cannabis, and there are many countries where cannabis is totally illegal. 

Due to the varying laws on cannabis use in different states and countries, it is your responsibility to make sure you are well-informed before you travel. And this applies regardless of your mode of transport. 

Can you use cannabis at home before going on a flight?

If you are feeling very nervous about flying, you might be wondering if you could ingest your edibles at home, before you leave. 

This is also an activity you must partake in at your own risk. Some airports might ask you to take a drug test if they have a good enough reason for doing so. 

There might, then, be consequences for failing that drug test, depending on your state or locality’s specific laws. 

Other precautions

By now, it should be very obvious that taking cannabis or edibles on a plane flight is unwise. But did you know that other cannabis-related products are also prohibited?

For example, some people use cosmetics or skincare products that contain cannabis (4). A majority of these products contain CBD. 

Since these products are not ingestible, it can be easy to forget that they also contain cannabis. 

But many people who take cannabis cosmetics or skincare products onto their flights end up having these items confiscated. So, if you’re taking to the skies, it’s a good idea to leave these products at home.

Summary 

There is a lot to think about when it comes to traveling with cannabis. Taking cannabis or cannabis products onto a flight is illegal in most situations. It’s a good idea to leave your cannabis at home so that you can avoid getting into any trouble. 

If you are unsure about the legality of a specific cannabis-related product, you can check with your airline and see what they say.