In recent years, cannabis advocates have seen a tidal wave of decriminalization and legalization for the recreational use of cannabis across the United States. This doesn’t just include products with high levels of THC however. One of the most popular cannabis products on the market today is CBD — also known as cannabidiol.
According to Forbes Magazine, a new report projects CBD sales reaching $20 billion by 2024. In addition, the report adds that CBD sales in dispensaries have outpaced overall sales for all dispensary products. The data on CBD’s market potentiality certainly is impressive. At the same time this shouldn’t be too surprising. It is not uncommon to find CBD products on shelves in stores and gas stations across the United States.
Thus, one might expect more and more travelers to bring their favorite CBD products through America’s airports. The question here being — is it legal to travel with CBD? As with many legal questions surrounding the cannabis industry, CBD’s legal status according to the federal government remains in a very murky, grey area.
Since CBD is non-psychoactive in nature and is derived from the hemp plant, one might think that the 2018 Farm Bill’s legalization of industrial hemp products would put CBD in the clear, so to speak. This sadly isn’t the case.
A good example of this is the recent uptick of seizures and detainment of travelers carrying CBD products at DFW airport in Dallas, Texas. Although the state of Texas is currently considering making CBD products fully legal to purchase and consume, TSA and U.S. Customs officials view things very differently.
Due to this fact, it is recommended that both domestic and international travelers familiarize themselves with the risks associated with transporting CBD through U.S. airports. This is the case even in states where cannabis as a whole is fully legal to consume recreationally and medically.
We’ll have to wait and see where the U.S. Government lands on this issue.
Photo courtesy of Royal Queen Seeds
