It's OK to pack medical marijuana on a flight ... sometimes. What you need to know
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It’s OK to pack medical marijuana when heading to the airport in California, but whether those products will still be with you when you land remains somewhat of an open question, experts say.At the end of April, the Transportation Security Administration quietly updated its “What Can I Bring?” web page to reiterate that medical marijuana is fine to bring aboard a flight in a carry-on or pack into a checked bag — with special instructions.The Times reached out to TSA for clarity on what those special instructions are, but officials did not provide an explanation.In any case, there’s a pretty major asterisk.
The agency notes that “the final decision rests with the TSA officer on whether an item is allowed through the checkpoint.” And a patchwork of state laws regulating marijuana means not all airports will treat the products the same.California LAX wants you to know this about the marijuana you may be taking with you on your trip: What’s legal on the street is also legal in the terminals.
The TSA said its policy on medical marijuana has not changed, but the website update occurred after the Justice Department and Drug Enforcement Administration announced they would issue an order to place FDA-approved drugs containing cannabis derivatives and marijuana products regulated by a state medical marijuana license in the Schedule lll category of the Controlled Substances Act.That means the products are considered to have moderate-to-low potential for physical and psychological dependence.“For the first time, qualifying medical marijuana activity is recognized within a federal Schedule III structure rather than being treated uniformly as Schedule I contraband,” said Meital Manzuri, managing partner with Manzuri Law, which specializes in cannabis and hemp law.
Under this categorization, there is now a legal basis for medical patients to travel with qualifying medical...