CBD has become quite popular among travelers, it has been the secret weapon of many travelers to combat jet lag, flight anxiety, or body pain, but crossing borders with CBD products can be complicated.
If you’ve ever waited at an airport and wished you could eat a gummy to alleviate your travel anxiety, we have good news for you:
Yes, you can take CBD oil on a plane.
CBD comes in a variety of forms from capsules, gummies, and edibles to CBD body lotions, however, the right dosage to combat flight anxiety can be different, depending on the type of CBD product.
While consuming CBD, it’s important to consider its rules and regulations. The 2018 farm bill federally legalized CBD but every state imposes different restrictions, in the United States, you may or may not be able to legally purchase CBD.
Read on to know about CBD legality, how you can take CBD on a plane, where you can travel with CBD, and what are the best CBD products for travelers.
CBD, also known as Cannabidiol, is an active ingredient found in the cannabis plant. The plant contains two active cannabinoids, CBD and THC.
THC is the psychoactive ingredient that produces high while CBD is safe and doesn’t produce the same effects as THC does.
CBD isn’t always derived from the Marijuana plant, you can find hemp-derived CBD and Marijuana-derived CBD. The farm bill legalized only hemp-derived CBD which contains trace amounts of THC.
According to a survey of 2,000 people, 60% of US adults have tried CBD at some point. This survey evolves CBD's efficacy in treating chronic pain, moreover, people are adding CBD to their everyday health regimes.
On a plane you can take CBD oil or apply it topically, generally, travelers take CBD orally to combat anxiety on a flight. However, you can apply CBD salves and creams to alleviate post-flight muscle aches or body pain.
Current TSA Guidelines
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) explicitly specifies that any suspected items would be reported to local police.
If you’re traveling with CBD products with a higher concentration of THC then you may face legal issues. Cannabis contains 0.3% (or less) of THC is considered a hemp plant, while more than 0.3% falls in the category of Marijuana. The FDA has approved only hemp-derived CBD, not marijuana products which means if you’re traveling with a bottle of hemp-derived CBD oil in its original container, the TSA will not detain you.
Why do travelers find CBD interesting?
Before getting into the legality of CBD on a plane, let’s talk about why travelers find CBD interesting.
CBD is growing in popularity due to its many health benefits, it’s a common remedy to treat pain, anxiety, and stress. People who are constantly dealing with body aches due to a long journey (too many hours in a plane or a car) are looking for an alternative to ease their traveling aches, ingesting CBD or applying CBD topically can be the answer.
Travelers find CBD interesting because it gives immediate relief from flight anxiety and traveling aches within a few minutes.
Can You Take CBD on a Plane?
The federal government has approved hemp-derived CBD products because they contain less amount of THC and don’t make you high.
If you’re traveling to a state which restricts marijuana consumption then research the state laws before bringing any type of CBD, and make sure your CBD oil doesn’t contain THC.
You can take isolated CBD safely, as it doesn’t contain THC.
In short, you can take CBD oil on a plane as long as it contains only a trace amount of THC i.e. 0.3% or less.
Moreover, you can bring CBD vapes in your carry-on but not in your checked baggage.
Can You Carry CBD Oil on an International Flight?
The CBD laws vary from region to region, some states completely banned CBD products while others allow only hemp-derived CBD.
Flying Internationally with CBD Oil
Europe
The laws of CBD vary between countries in Europe but you can travel with hemp-derived CBD which contains trace amounts (0.3% or less) of THC.
Canada
Canada doesn’t allow travelers to bring any type of CBD whether it is hemp-derived or marijuana-derived CBD.
Australia
Travelers can bring CBD oil to Australia only with a medical prescription.
Mexico
Mexico strictly follows CBD guidelines and doesn’t allow people to bring CBD on a plane but you can purchase CBD legally once you’re in Mexico.
South America
The CBD laws vary across South America, however, in Brazil, you can take CBD products if they contain less than 0.2% of THC.
Central America
Some countries like Costa Rica allow people to travel with CBD which contains less than 0.3% of THC content, while other countries restrict travelers to use CBD.
Middle East
The Middle East imposes strict laws and rules on cannabis and CBD, these rules are different in every country. In Dubai, a 24-year-old man from the U.K. has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for possessing CBD oil.
Asia
Same as Europe, Asia has strict laws on Cannabis and other abusive drugs. But Thailand allows travelers to possess CBD oil only if they have a permit from FDA Thailand while India has lenient laws on CBD, anyone can obtain CBD products without a permit.
Africa
South Africa allows travelers to possess CBD with a strict caveat: CBD products must contain less than 0.001% of THC. So, it’s better to travel with CBD isolate in Africa.
Are There Any Countries Where CBD Products Are Banned?
Before getting into the details of CBD, we need to clarify that the information presented in this post is accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of writing, this article isn’t legal advice or an alternative for your research, it’s better to conduct your own research on states laws where you want to travel with CBD.
According to the results of a web search, CBD is banned in these countries or exists in a legal gray area:
Austria: You’ll need a prescription to access CBD products
Denmark: You’ll need a medical prescription to use CBD
Finland: CBD products are considered a medication and require a prescription. If you want to import CBD, then Finland will apply special rules and regulations.
Germany: You’ll need a medical cannabis permit to obtain CBD.
Norway: Norway allows CBD as long as it doesn’t contain THC.
Singapore: CBD products are completely banned in Singapore.
Tips For Traveling with CBD Products
If you want to take CBD on a plane, here are some tips you can follow:
- Review all rules and regulations on the CBD of each destination country.
- Always carry your medical marijuana card on a flight.
- Keep your CBD oil in its original packaging.
- Carry additional medical prescriptions if you have any.
- Make sure to take hemp-derived CBD on a plane that contains 0.3% (or less) of THC.
How to Take CBD Oil on a Plane?
You can take CBD oil in your carry-on bag or in checked luggage. If you want to pack CBD oil in a carry-on, special rules will apply to it because it’s a liquid product.
- The bottle must not contain more than 100 mg of CBD oil, if you have an oversized bottle of CBD, it must go in your checked luggage.
- CBD oil must fit in a single zip-top bag
- Remove the zip-top bag when you walk through the airport security checkpoint and present it for a separate inspection.
You can take CBD gummies instead of CBD oil if you don’t want to follow the above rules, the special rules will not apply to CBD gummies.
You can always travel with CBD oil in your checked baggage. However, it's still a good idea to store your CBD oil in a zip-top bag because liquids can leak at high altitudes.
Bottom Line
When traveling with CBD, the best rule of thumb is to determine if your destination allows CBD. You should also make sure that you fully understand the products in your possession, including if they contain any THC or are just hemp-derived CBD.
We haven't included individual country reports because generalization can lead to problems, for example, European citizens are usually tolerant of hemp-derived CBD oils derived from hemp, but stricter nations like Sweden still have gray areas for CBD.
For those travelers, who are interested in ingesting CBD, CBD oils and tinctures are the best way to go. You can simply put a few drops of CBD oil under the tongue, or mix a tincture in your beverage, you can also take chewing candies such as CBD gummies on a plain to treat body aches. Avoid taking CBD vapes and smokable CBD products while traveling by plane.
