Bringing CBD On A Plane

No one wants to leave their meds behind when they travel, but what if you rely on CBD as a natural alternative to traditional pharmaceuticals? Can you take it with you? Will you get into trouble if you're caught with CBD oil while passing through security or customs?

Or, perhaps you don't have access to good CBD products, so you plan to hop a cheap flight to bring back an ample supply. Will you be stopped at the airport before you can board your flight home?

Those are all very good questions and things you should be concerned about. Unfortunately, CBD falls into a grey area in most places. It may or may not be legal depending on what type of products you use, where you're departing from, and where you're going. Let's take a look at what you can and can't do.

FLYING IN THE UNITED STATES WITH CBD

Legal: CBD oil made from hemp with no more than 0.3% THC

Illegal: CBD oil made from hemp with over 0.3% THC, and any CBD oil made from cannabis

Recently, the US passed the Hemp Farming Act of 2018. This law removed all hemp products with less than 0.3% THC from the scheduled drugs list, making hemp-based CBD oils legal on a federal level. However, individual states can still make these products illegal.

Because most flights cross state borders, federal laws apply, and TSA agents are federal employees. Current TSA rules prohibit marijuana as well as any cannabis-infused products from flights. It even states right on the TSA website that cannabidiol oil is included in this restriction.

It also says that TSA agents don't search specifically for illegal drugs, but if they find any during the normal screening process, they are required to inform law enforcement. There are no exceptions that say it's okay and you get a pass if you're carrying CBD oil from one legal state to another.

Based on the 2018 law, you should be fine if you're travelling with CBD oil made from hemp, but doing the same with CBD oil made from cannabis is risky and should be avoided. But even with hemp CBD oil, you may still have to defend yourself at the airport if an over-zealous or uninformed TSA agent questions it. You'll also have to comply with TSA regulations that involve carrying liquids onto a plane. Sure, you'll probably be fine in the end, but who wants unnecessary delays or a missed flight?

Here's what you should do to make sure things go smoothly if you travel with CBD oils in the US:

- Choose CBD oils that state on the label they're made from hemp.

- Make sure the label states <0.3% THC or does not mention THC at all.

- Only bring a bottle that's 100ml or smaller.
- Put the bottle with any of your other liquids in a clear, ziplock bag.
- Print out a copy of the Hemp Farming Act of 2018.
- If you have a doctor's recommendation for CBD oils, bring a copy.
- Do not try to carry a large supply of CBD oil.

FLYING FROM ONE EUROPEAN COUNTRY TO ANOTHER?

If you're flying from one country to another on an international flight, you'll have to research the laws of the country you're departing from, your destination, and any place you might land for a connecting flight. In the rare event that every nation on the list has green-lighted CBD oils, you might be good to go.

However, travelling internationally with any type of CBD oil is not recommended due to the increased security measures and customs protocols that are involved as you cross borders. It's a better idea to dose before you fly, then purchase more after you land.

WHY SHOULD I USE CBD OIL WHEN I FLY?

Even people with nerves of steel can get a little anxious before or during a flight, and CBD oils are one of the best and safest ways to take the edge off. There's no intoxication like you'd feel if you had a few cocktails in the airport lounge, and it won't make you high like lighting up in the airport parking lot. Plus, it's not sedating or addictive like Xanax, Valium, or any other type of benzo.

In fact, plenty of people who soothe their fear of flying with alcohol, THC, or prescription narcotics go on to get detained or arrested after having a meltdown or otherwise causing a disturbance. When you think of it that way, they should dose everyone who passes through an airport with CBD oil. The entire trip would be calmer and a lot more mellow.

CBD oils can also offer other health benefits for frequent flyers. Its anticoagulant and anti-inflammatory properties may even help prevent deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a life-threatening condition experienced by travellers when they sit still in a confined space for so long that blood clots form in veins deep below the surface of the skin.

WHAT IF I CAN'T BEAR THE THOUGHT OF FLYING WITHOUT MY CANNABIS-BASED CBD OIL?

While we can't condone breaking laws of any type, there are less conspicuous forms of CBD that might be easier to slip under the radar. After all, no one's actively looking for CBD like they would if you were carrying a brick of pot in your luggage or you had bags of heroin taped to your body.

Look for CBD in the form of capsules or tablets that you can slip into a vitamin bottle. Or perhaps CBD-infused chewing gum or candy might be more your style. Anything that's not liquid should attract less attention from the authorities.

IN SUMMARY

Until CBD is legal everywhere, it's risky to carry this substance in any form on a plane, even though it's a safe, effective way to combat the fear of flying. The best thing to do, for now, is simply leave your CBD oil at home until things change.