7 Things You Need to Know About Traveling with CBD

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With the 2018 Farm Bill, industrial hemp was finally clarified as being a separate plant from marijuana and descheduled, making it legal at the federal level.

This exciting development has helped trigger skyrocketing interest in CBD and its potential health and wellness benefits. As we approach the first summer under the most recent regulatory guidelines, it’s worth taking a look at how you should factor your CBD into your vacation planning.

The OTHER Cannabis

Cannabidiol, better known as CBD, is one of over 100 active compounds found in Cannabis sativa L.

For centuries, humans have used hemp for a variety of reasons including for paper, fibers, and to promote better physical and mental wellness. Industrial hemp, those cannabis plants with less than 0.3% THC, won’t get you “high”, but it is a great source for CBD.

What is CBD?

Unfortunately, a smear campaign that began in the early part of the twentieth century led to it being listed as a schedule 1 controlled substance along with marijuana, effectively banning it.

When the ban was lifted, people were finally free to decide for themselves if CBD was right for their lives and use it as they saw fit.

It’s Legal, So What’s the Big Deal With Travelling?

While the federal law says CBD is legal as long as it contains less than 0.3% THC, not all law enforcement officers or district attorneys are on board.

In addition, there are movements in some locations to ban CBD, despite its lack of psychoactive components, as still being a byproduct of the same plant as marijuana. This has muddied what should be clear waters when it comes to transporting cannabis while on vacation.

Travelling with Cannabis

How to Keep Your Vacation on Track and CBD Intact

Let’s start by stating the obvious: you shouldn’t have to worry about this. The reality is, however, that you do.

Below are some tips to help lessen the chance that you are confronted or harassed about your CBD while traveling and the best way to handle it if it happens anyway.

– Know the Laws Not just federal law, but state law as well. If you’re travelling internationally, you’ll need to find out about their laws as well. There are places where CBD is completely legal as long as it’s under 0.3% THC, places where it is completely illegal, and everything in between. It’s important to note that under TSA guidelines, CBD oil is still considered marijuana, illegal to fly with, and it could be confiscated at checkpoints and referred to police. Ignorance of the law is not a defense if you’re cited, and it’s best to find out before you go so you can prepare accordingly.

Travelling with Cannabis - TSA

– Carry Clearly Marked CBD in the Manufacturer’s Containers – Choose a reputable manufacturer who regularly has their products lab-verified and labels their products as such. This will help with everything from rural police stops to state troopers, and it is especially important with “No-THC” locations that demand proof your CBD goes beyond 0.3% THC to THC-free.

– Print and Carry the Certificates of Analysis – Most reputable manufacturers will have the results of third-party testing either downloadable through their site or available on request. You still want the manufacturer’s packaging, because an authority investigating your CBD will want to verify that the certificate perfectly matches the label.

– Keep a Low Profile – Leave the cannabis leaf socks at home and don’t put “Ganjapreneur” as your occupation on forms. Wear regular, non-cannabis themed clothing and speak clearly and respectfully to any officers asking questions. The easiest way to not be hassled is to not draw attention to yourself.

Travelling with Cannabis

– Keep an Even Lower Profile with Your CBD – If you aren’t sure about the attitude toward CBD at your destination, choose innocuous dosing methods. Can you smoke CBD flower out of a bong? Yes! Should you bring a bag of flower and your best glass through a TSA checkpoint? It is not recommended! Vape juice, tinctures, and gummies are all fairly familiar and draw less attention. Don’t use words like stash, cannabis, weed, etc. It is industrial hemp.

– If You are Confronted, Don’t Argue, State Facts – Now is not the time to advocate for CBD, but for yourself. Draw attention to the labeling on your product, your certificates, the 2018 Farm Bill and any other pertinent information, but don’t let yourself get baited into arguing. Maintain a normal tone and volume and state your case.

– Know When to Let It Go – Look, you’re an adult. You should be able to choose your path to better health. You should be able to travel with legal substances. If you find yourself, however, faced with an authority figure determined to confiscate your CBD, let them have it. An arrest, even if the charges are later dropped by more reasonable and knowledgeable authorities, will still run your vacation right off the tracks. CBD is available virtually everywhere. Even if you’re a modern nomad, you can always get more, but your memories look better without bars.

Traveling and boarding with Cannabis

Keep It Simple and Live It Up

With a little preparation, you can enjoy an awesome vacation with your CBD in tow. Stay informed, live responsibly, and enjoy your time away from the grind.

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