How To Travel with Weed

I know a guy who knows a guy who air-travels with weed all the time.  He says that, at least while flying domestically, this is an easy task as long as a few simple protocols are followed .

Before we go any further, let me say that this entire article and all advice contained within are not official legal advice in anyway.  There is no guarantee that the knowledge presented here is true or effective… it’s just “what we’ve heard”.  Also, keep in mind that whatever may or may not be mentioned here only applies to domestic flights within the USA.  International flights are an entirely different thing. 

Rule #1:  The TSA, for the most part, doesn’t actually care.  

This should come as a relief, and it’s the foundational assumption that we’re going forward with.  While there ARE exceptions… please, RELAX!   Since medical marijuana is legal in quite a few states, and recreational marijuana is gaining acceptance in many regions as well, the reality is that the TSA (in the general sense) does not give a fuck.  Because they’re technically not a law enforcement agency, they usually just defer to the police when it comes crimes.  My guess is that if it seems questionable within state laws, it’s at their discretion and they probably won’t bother (with someone carrying a personal amount of weed).  However, if the amount or situation calls into question Federal laws, then the game obviously changes, and not in your favor.  

Please keep in mind that this does not mean that they can’t harass you if they want.  It’s entirely possible you can encounter a particular TSA agent that wants to make your day shitty for carrying any amount of marijuana.  So beware of those.  Conversely, there are airports such as LAX that have gone on record saying that they will not bother anyone carrying “up to 28.5 grams of marijuana and 8 grams of concentrated marijuana for personal consumption” (as quoted from their own website).  It might be safe to assume that other airports, in parts of the country that are less lenient toward drug offenders, might feel differently.  According to my friend of a friend, this is rarely an issue.

Rule #2: Whatever you do, don’t make your sweet leaf look like a bomb. 

This might seem painfully obvious, but it’s apparently not to some people.  My “connection”, as we’ll refer to him for the rest of the article, says he’s had friends who’ve fucked up by doing things such as wrapping glass bottles in electrical tape, or taping vaporizer components to things like plastic packages, clocks, etc.  Basically, do not use electrical tape on your packaging for any reason, and do not carry the herb in anything that seems home-made or hastily rigged.  These things should seem like things only an idiot would do (and they are), but my connection says he’s seen it happen.  We’ve all done idiotic things, so it’s worth putting the warning out there.  

Rule #3:  If using a vaporizer or pipe, make sure that your rig is broken down and 100% clean.  

Meaning, ABSOLUTELY free of any marijuana residue.  This is somewhat practical with most portable vape devices, but a complete pain in the ass for things like water bongs or glass pipes.  For that reason, glass pipes and bongs are not recommended for air travel.  Really, there is no leeway on this.  Just don’t if you want to avoid hassles.  

Rule #4:  Be smart and discreet.

This also should seem obvious, but it should be made clear that while the TSA doesn’t really care… it’s really more like they’re doing you the favor of looking the other way.  So don’t be a fuck up and do any of the following; be too obvious, be too high-profile, carry some ridiculous amount of grass, smell strongly of it, etc.  Any of these things are decidedly not proper form, and can easily result in you being noticed (needlessly) by someone who you can really fuck up your day.  Instead, carry a concealable and “personal” amount of flower or well-packaged concentrates or edibles in a smell-proof container.  Small freezer bags work great, and double bagging almost never hurts.  If you are carrying a packaged product (especially edibles), it might not be a bad idea to remove all labels and indications that it’s marijuana.  This might not be sensible for flower, but I’ve heard that for candy-type edibles, it’s sometimes been the difference between getting caught, and having an agent look right at it and not think twice.  

All that being said, please be responsible.  In other words, please respect and obey all federal and state laws while traveling via air.  Safe travels!