Medical cannabis has now been decriminalized in 39 states and the District of Columbia. That being the case, it is highly likely that medical cannabis patients have questions about traveling with their medicines in hand. And in fact, there are plenty of tips people offer for doing so.
Let me take this opportunity to give you my #1 tip for traveling with medical cannabis: don’t do it. Just do not.
You can go online and learn plenty of ways to conceal medical cannabis so that it’s not discovered when you travel. Forget that advice. It is not worth the risk. There are other, less risky ways to treat your medical condition during your travels.
Crossing State Lines Is Illegal
If you are traveling locally or within your home state, none of what you are about to read applies to you. A Utah patient with a valid medical cannabis card can carry their medicines freely within state borders. It is carrying medical cannabis outside the state that poses a problem.
As the good folks out Beehive Farmacy point out, it’s illegal under both state and federal law to carry cannabis across state lines. You cannot bring it in from outside the state; you cannot take it across the border into another state.
It doesn’t matter whether you’re driving, hitchhiking, walking, or riding a bike. Marijuana in any form, including medical cannabis, remains illegal under federal law. Transporting it across state lines is a federal offense.
Taking It on a Plane Is Illegal
You could throw some medical cannabis in a suitcase and drive to a neighboring state without risking too much, assuming you are a safe driver and you don’t get into an accident. But your chances of getting away with it on a plane are slim to none.
Taking marijuana on a plane is against the law. Not only that, but you can also expect your luggage to be scanned by an x-ray. Yet scanning isn’t the worst of your worries. There may be drug-sniffing dogs at the airport just waiting to get a whiff of your stash.
The simplest way to phrase it is to say that it is nearly impossible to get medical cannabis on a plane without being discovered. If you do manage to sneak it aboard on your way out of town, you still need to make the return trip. Will you take your chances twice?
Forget Trains and Boats, Too
As long as we are talking about different forms of transportation, you might as well forget about trains and boats, too. You are not allowed to take medical cannabis on a cruise ship. You’re not allowed to take it on the train.
The restrictions might perplex you given the fact that medical cannabis is legal in your state. But consider this: it isn’t really legal; it has simply been decriminalized. The companies that operate public trains, planes, and boats don’t want to take any chances. They do not want any trouble with federal law enforcement, so they just don’t allow it.
You May Have Other Options
You might be afraid to travel because you cannot take your medical cannabis with you. But did you know other options exist? Take Utah. The Beehive State issues temporary medical cannabis cards to visitors. With card in hand, a visitor can buy medical cannabis at any licensed Utah dispensary.
Until marijuana is decriminalized at the federal level, you are advised not to travel outside your own state while in possession. Attempting to carry medical cannabis across state borders, regardless of your transportation method, is both illegal and risky.