Is packing a bag of weed on a flight back to Texas unlawful? This rule may surprise you
Going through security at any airport can be an anxious chore, especially if you have weed in your carry-on.
The possession, growing, selling, distribution and use of recreational marijuana is illegal in Texas. Medicinal marijuana is legal in Texas, but limited as to who qualifies to get it.
CBD products — a derivative of hemp, a close cousin to the outlawed weed — are plentiful in shelves in Texas gas stations or smoke shops packaged in colorful boxes with flavors like fruity pebbles, magic mango and grape ape gusher. Like marijuana, these cannabis-based products deliver a high. But unlike marijuana, these products are legal in Texas, thanks to laws that allowed the cultivation of hemp.
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Bringing weed from a state where marijuana is legal back home to Texas may seem like a way to circumvent strict laws. But weed is not legal in Texas. So, will airport Transportation Security Administration agents actually search for drugs in luggage? Here’s what we know:
Will TSA agents in airports search for marijuana in your bag?
The Transportation Security Administration are not looking for drugs when they screen fliers, but if they find marijuana or other drugs, they will refer the matter to law enforcement.
TSA’s screening procedures are focused on security to detect potential threats to aircraft and passengers. While TSA officers are screening for weapons or other harmful items and happen across an illegal substance, it will be reported to local law enforcement, according to the TSA.
Why is it illegal to fly with marijuana?
While several states have legalized recreational marijuana use, the federal government has not.
The TSA is in charge of security at airports, while the Federal Aviation Administration governs the airspace. Since the federal government has jurisdiction over the airspace and federal law states that recreational marijuana use is illegal, any kind of flying with weed possession is unlawful, according to the Washington Post.
Even if you were traveling between two states where recreational marijuana use is legal, it’s still illegal to fly with weed. This applies to medicinal marijuana as well.
The only exception to flying with medicinal marijuana, is if it contains less than 0.3% of THC on a dry weight basis, according to the Washington Post.
