Can You Fly with CBD Hemp Flower?

These days, CBD flower has become nearly as accepted as other types of CBD products. There’s still the fact that it looks and smells just like marijuana, though — could these similarities get you in trouble if you try to bring CBD flower on a plane?

Regardless of official positions on flying with CBD in general, CBD flower is another matter entirely. In this guide, learn everything you need to know to definitively determine whether it’s a wise idea to bring CBD flower with you on a plane.

What is CBD flower?

CBD flower is generally defined as Cannabis sativa buds containing high concentrations of CBD but less than 0.3% THC. Usually considered to be industrial hemp under the 2018 Farm Bill, CBD flower is widely sold online and carried across state lines.

Can I travel with CBD flower?

Yes, it is generally understood that the 2018 Farm Bill removed any interstate travel restrictions on CBD flower. CBD flower producers commonly ship their products to all 50 states, and unless laws in your destination state are prohibitive, it is also usually acceptable to bring CBD flower with you from one state to another.

Can you fly with CBD flower?

While you would most likely be within the letter of the law to do so, it is not advisable to bring CBD flower on a plane. The chances of being caught may be low, but it’s a fact that TSA agents could come across your CBD flower and mistake it for a federally illegal substance. Normal interstate travel is one thing, but anyone who has flown in the last 20 years knows that airborne interstate travel has its own set of rules.

Can I take CBD flower in a carry-on?

It is not advisable to bring CBD hemp flower on a plane in your carry-on. The chances of your hemp being detected by sniffer dogs are low, but if your buds are packaged conspicuously, they could be picked up by X-ray technicians operating security checkpoints.

If you must bring CBD flower in your carry-on, just make sure to package it discreetly. The shape of hemp buds is unlikely to draw any alarm since they could easily be mistaken for dried fruit or another type of snack.

Can I put CBD flower in my checked baggage?

Sniffer dogs are more active in checked luggage, making your chances of being caught higher if you choose to transport your CBD flower using this method. At the same time, less scrutiny is often applied to X-ray scans of checked luggage, and there are no interpersonal interactions to fumble and divulge incriminating information when it comes to scanning your checked bags.

Another factor to consider is the state you’ll have to deal with if you’re caught. Carrying CBD flower in your carry-on makes getting caught at the security checkpoint in your state of departure higher, but if you put CBD flower in your checked bags, authorities won’t catch up to you until you land in your arrival state.

Can I smoke CBD flower on a plane?

Regardless of the comparative merits and dangers of taking CBD flower on a plane, one thing you should never do is light up a CBD pre-roll in the middle of a crowded cabin. Smoking has not been allowed on planes for decades, and you’ll certainly turn quite a few heads if you suddenly let out a cloud of pungent cannabis smoke mid-flight.

Can I smoke CBD flower at the airport?

Some airports have indoor smoking areas where you can smoke tobacco cigarettes between flights. These areas, however, are not for smoking cannabis of any kind, and doing so would be an excellent way to alert the authorities to your presence. Avoid smoking CBD hemp flower until you have fully left airport property.

What happens if I’m caught with CBD flower at the airport?

If you’re caught with CBD flower at the airport you’re departing from, you’ll likely be held for questioning long after your flight has already departed. Your best bet will be to provide documentation (such as lab testing) proving that the cannabis in your possession is hemp and not marijuana. At best, however, you’re likely to have your stash taken away, and you could be arrested.

What happens if I’m caught with CBD flower on a plane?

It’s much less likely that you’ll be caught for carrying CBD flower once you’re already on the plane, but if you are, that flight crew will radio ahead to your destination airport to notify law enforcement. When you arrive, you’ll be pulled aside for questioning, and depending on the circumstances, you could face arrest.

Can you bring CBD flower on an international flight?

It is far less advisable to bring CBD flower on an international flight than it is on a domestic flight. Countries around the world have various positions on cannabis, but the United States has now become a world leader in cannabis reform — at least in the majority of its states. As a result, the type of leniency you’re now likely to face when caught with cannabis in America is unlikely to be replicated elsewhere around the world.

Can you fly with CBD flower domestically?

Flying with CBD flower domestically is a safer bet than bringing it on an international flight. While it’s technically illegal to bring marijuana on a plane in the United States, the truth is that people bring small, personal amounts of cannabis on planes every single day in America, and only a small handful of them get caught. With adult-use cannabis reform on the rise around the country, the TSA has bigger fish to fry.

Can you fly with CBD flower in Europe?

Europe is gradually coming together with a cohesive stance on cannabis and CBD, but for the moment, air travel with CBD flower in Europe is considerably riskier than air travel with CBD flower in the United States. Depending on the circumstances, you could be extradited to a foreign country for bringing CBD flower on a plane, so it’s a better idea to simply have CBD flower shipped to your destination address.

Summary: Should I fly with CBD flower?

When all’s said and done, does it make sense to fly with CBD flower? If you’re thinking that CBD flower is somehow less risky to fly with than marijuana, you’re sorely mistaken. If you recognize that carrying even marrijuana on a plane is an everyday occurrence that is very rarely punished, though, you’re certainly an adult capable of making their own decisions.

Just don’t fall into the trap of believing that cannabis is fully legal in the United States. The days in which you can openly fly with cannabis in your possession are still ahead of us, and behaving arrogantly or incautiously is the best way to get yourself caught when flying with CBD flower. Now that you understand the risks involved, you’re free to decide which path you want to take when it comes to bringing CBD flower along for the ride on your next plane trip.

Flying with CBD flower FAQ

Learn more about the pros and cons of flying with CBD flower below:

1. Can airport security detect CBD?

No, airport security checkpoints are not usually equipped with devices capable of directly detecting the presence of CBD. If CBD is to be noticed at a security checkpoint, it must be visually observed in an X-ray image or detected by a sniffer dog, both of which are unlikely to happen if you take adequate precautions.

2. Can airport dogs smell CBD?

No, airport sniffer dogs are not trained to smell the cannabinoid CBD itself. They are, however, trained to detect the presence of illegal drugs, which usually includes marijuana. Since CBD flower and marijuana smell exactly alike, it’s likely that a drug-sniffing dog will smell CBD flower in your luggage.

3. Do dogs sniff checked luggage for drugs?

Airport sniffer dogs do smell checked luggage, but they’re looking for explosives and other truly dangerous items, not illegal drugs. Since sniffer dogs are usually trained to detect the presence of marijuana, however, they might note the aroma of cannabis when smelling a bag containing CBD hemp flower. In this event, the bag in question might be pulled aside and searched.

4. Can dogs smell vape pens?

If the concentrate inside your vape pen contains any substances derived from cannabis, there’s a high likelihood that it might be detected by drug-sniffing dogs. Even though cannabis vape extract only contains the active components of the marijuana plant, it’s those same components to which most drug-sniffing dog noses are attenuated.

5. Can I pack edibles in my checked bag?

Whether they contain CBD, THC, or any other cannabinoid, edibles will smell like cannabis if they are baked with anything aside from cannabinoid isolate. As a result, you should only pack edibles in your checked bag if you’ve taken all necessary precautions to ensure that your delicious, cannabis-infused treats will not be detected.