The U.S. State Department is warning U.S. citizens against traveling internationally while carrying marijuana or CBD products.
“U.S. citizens are subject to local laws,” the department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs said in a social media post on Tuesday. “Just because a cannabis, THC, or CBD product is legal in your home state does not mean you can take it abroad. This includes prescribed medical marijuana.”
The agency wants to make sure that Americans know that many countries impose “severe criminal penalties” for cannabis, pointing them to a federal website where they can review local laws and prohibited items where they are traveling.
Even if cannabis is legal or decriminalized in a destination country, however, “bringing it or any cannabis-derived products across an international border can result in arrest or other criminal penalties,” the bureau said.
“Do not travel internationally with cannabis or cannabis-derived products, including marijuana, THC, CBD, edibles, vape cartridges, oils, concentrates, or other cannabis products.”
It is also reminding people to “always pack from a completely empty bag” in order to avoid accidentally bringing forgotten marijuana stuffed inside of a suitcase pocket.
“Americans have been arrested after unintentionally bringing cannabis products into another country, including edibles, vape cartridges, oils, and concentrates,” the post said. “Check all suitcase compartments and pockets carefully before traveling.”
A number of high-profile cases have involved Americans being detained for possessing marijuana in other countries.
Basketball player Brittney Griner, for example, was jailed in Russia for about 10 months after being caught at an airport with cannabis vapes that she said were used for medical purposes in accordance with Arizona law. She was freed as part of a prisoner swap orchestrated by the Biden administration.
Similarly, U.S. citizen Marc Fogel was also jailed in Russia for possessing marijuana that he says he used legally under Pennsylvania law to treat back pain. He was freed in a prisoner swap negotiated by the Trump administration.
While the State Department is warning Americans about the risks of traveling with cannabis overseas, recently released FBI data shows that police in the U.S. made more than 200,000 arrests for marijuana-related offenses here at home last year.
When it comes to domestic travel, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) pushed back earlier this year against exaggerated headlines about a supposed change in the federal government’s policy on bringing marijuana into airports and on airplanes.
“TSA’s policy on medical marijuana has not changed,” a TSA spokesperson told Marijuana Moment. “Per TSA’s website: If any illegal substance or evidence of criminal activity is discovered during security screening, TSA will refer the matter to a law enforcement officer.”
Despite the growing number of states that have legalized marijuana for medical or adult use, cannabis largely remains illegal at the federal level—though the Trump administration is taking steps to reclassify it.
Attorney General Todd Blanche in April issued an order that immediately reclassified state-licensed medical cannabis, as well as marijuana products approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) from Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) to Schedule III.
Under a separate order he signed, a hearing is considering more comprehensively moving marijuana to Schedule III.
Image element courtesy of Steve Fitzgerald.
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