Can you travel with medical marijuana or CBD gummies? Airlines, cruise ships have rules
A Texas woman says she was banned for life from Carnival cruises for trying to board a ship in Miami with CBD gummies.
Carnival said it’s following federal law, and that the gummies were against its policy.
As the busy holiday travel season begins, take note: There are rules for cruising or flying with medical marijuana and CBD products, popular for their health benefits including pain management.
Here’s what to know:
Is CBD legal in Florida? What about marijuana?
Marijuana plants grow inside one of the many grow rooms at the Curaleaf Homestead Cultivation Facility.
CBD, or Cannabidiol is an ingredient found in cannabis, but it doesn’t cause a high by itself, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. THC is the substance that makes you feel high when you smoke marijuana or eat an edible.
Yes, people in Florida 18 and older can buy CBD products, including oils and topicals, from authorized sellers if the product has 0.3% or less of THC and was extracted from the hemp plant. You must be at least 21 to buy and use CBD inhalants and vapes.
It’s still illegal in Florida to use recreational marijuana, or weed, pot, dope, Mary Jane, ganja or whatever you want to call it. Only medical marijuana is legal, and you need to obtain a medical marijuana card to use it.
Can you take CBD and marijuana on cruises? What about medical marijuana?
The consensus among popular Miami-based cruise lines, as well as with Disney Cruise Lines, is no, you cannot take CBD oil and products or marijuana, including medical marijuana, on your cruise. It’s prohibited.
Here’s what some popular South Florida-based cruise lines say:
▪ Royal Caribbean Group: “Marijuana, even in its medicinal form or for medicinal purposes, is prohibited on our ships, as well as CBD oil and products.”
▪ Norwegian: Its policy states that all illegal narcotics and drugs, including recreational and medical marijuana, as well as all products “containing CBD, oils, candies, and gummies or any product containing THC,” is prohibited and will be confiscated.
▪ Carnival: Any illegal narcotics “including synthetic, designer drugs, Cannabidiol (CBD) and medical marijuana” are prohibited, according to the cruise line’s policy. “While certain CBD products used for medicinal purposes may be legal in the US, they are not legal in all the ports we visit and therefore are also considered prohibited items. “
▪ Virgin: Illegal drugs, non-prescribed controlled substances, medically prescribed marijuana or synthetic marijuana and CBD products are prohibited
▪ Disney Cruise lines (now home-ported in Fort Lauderdale): The policy states that “illegal narcotics — including synthetic designer drugs — and marijuana (even if legal where you reside or medically prescribed) — are prohibited on board the ships and on Disney Castaway Cay.” Medical marijuana, as well as CBD-infused products are prohibited. You might be denied boarding if you’re found to have it, and you could also be “subject to severe legal penalties.”
Chad Davis, an employee at Boveda, grinds “Bubba Kush” an indica marijuana strain at his booth during the 6th Annual Cannabis Lab Conference & Expo at the Hyatt Regency Miami on Friday, June 3, 2022 in downtown Miami, Fla.
Can you take CBD and marijuana on a plane? What about medical marijuana?
While some states, including Florida, have made medical marijuana and CBD legal, the substances are still illegal under federal law, according to the Transportation Security Administration, or TSA.
However, while “marijuana and certain cannabis-infused products, including some Cannabidiol (CBD) oil, remain illegal under federal law,” there is an exception for products that have less than 0.3% THC on a “dry weight basis,” the agency said.
Check the packaging of your CBD product for a QR code or a website address on how to print the product’s certificate of analysis, which will include information such as how much THC is in the product.
Also, keep in mind that while you can fly domestically with CBD products that contain less than 0.3% THC, the TSA rule for liquids — less than 3 ounces including oils, tinctures, and creams — still applies, according to Travel + Leisure. The travel site also notes that CBD vape pens can go through airport security if it’s in your carry-on, but not in your checked bag. If you’re flying internationally, check to make sure the products are allowed at your destination.
Another thing to remember: Your ability to bring your CBD product onto a plane might depend on the TSA agent who checks your bag.
TSA officers don’t search for marijuana or other illegal drugs, but if they find it on you or in your luggage during the security screening, the TSA officers will call the police, the agency said. Officers will then determine if your product meets the 0.3% or less rule and also will decide what to do.
It’s all a messy gamble. And it could be a headache that might make you late to board. So, weigh whether it’s best for you to leave your weed and CBD gummies at home when traveling by airliner or cruise ship.
