Is Flying with CBD Oil Legal?
Can you fly with CBD oil, or will it land you in hot water with TSA security? For the millions who use cannabidiol (CBD) to manage pain, anxiety, and more, it’s an essential question. But the news is good! As long as your CBD oil is produced within the regulations of the 2018 Farm Bill (which everything at CBD Choice is!), flying with CBD oil is perfectly legal throughout the US.
Still, CBD is derived from the strain of cannabis known as hemp — and because marijuana and certain cannabis infused products remain illegal under federal law, it’s understandable to be a bit concerned. But, with a few precautions, you can ensure that your CBD oil will make it through TSA security and be there with you on all your jet setting adventures!
TSA Security Regulations and CBD: What you Need to Know
US air travel is regulated by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). TSA’s role is complex, but one of its central functions is to monitor and control the interstate transportation of certain restricted substances as defined by the law. This includes most forms of cannabis, which is still illegal under federal law.
However, not all forms of cannabis fall under this prohibition. TSA security regulations were recently updated. Under this revamped policy, many cannabis infused products, including CBD oil, are now fully permitted for interstate travel.
“Products/medications that contain hemp-derived CBD or are approved by the FDA are legal as long as it is produced within the regulations defined by the law under the Agriculture Improvement Act 2018.”
What does that mean? Basically, that medical marijuana and certain cannabis infused products (including most CBD oils) are perfectly legal for domestic flights throughout the US. As long as you pack only CBD oil produced within the regulations of the Agriculture Improvement Act (better known as the 2018 Farm Bill), you should have no issues with TSA security.
Still, even legal cannabis infused products do run the risk of raising a few eyebrows at TSA security checkpoints. As such, it’s a good idea to take a few precautions to ensure that flying with CBD oil won’t cause you any headaches.
Four Essential Tips for Flying with CBD Oil
To ensure that you have the smoothest possible experience when flying with CBD oil, we’ve put together four essential guidelines.
- Know the source of your CBD oil (marijuana vs. hemp-derived)
- Shop only for laboratory tested CBD products
- Print out copies of each CBD product’s Certificate of Analysis
- Package your CBD oil in accordance with TSA security regulations
Let’s take a look at each of these in a bit greater depth:
Tip One: Know the Source of Your CBD Oil
There is a wide variety of CBD oil on the market, and not all manufacturers follow the 2018 Farm Bill. Depending on the levels of THC they contain, some CBD oils are still illegal under federal law.
The key guideline here is to buy only CBD oil made from industrial hemp and NOT from marijuana. If it’s derived from marijuana, CBD oil is still illegal under federal law — even if all traces of psychoactive THC have been removed. Flying with CBD oil of this sort can lead to serious legal problems.
If you live in a state where medical or recreational marijuana is legal, it’s possible that your CBD oil may have been derived from marijuana instead of industrial hemp. Flying with CBD oil derived from marijuana is not permitted, even if it was purchased in a state that has legalized all forms of cannabis.
So can you fly with CBD oil? Yes, but be sure to carefully source it from a Farm Bill compliant vendor such as CBD Choice. Everything you find on this site is derived from industrial hemp, Farm Bill compliant, and 100% legal for travel throughout all 50 states.
Tip Two: Buy Only Laboratory Tested CBD Oil
Even if your CBD oil claims that it was made from industrial hemp, that’s no guarantee that it is produced within the 2018 Farm Bill regulations. Many disreputable manufacturers are illegally selling high-THC CBD oils, and flying with CBD oil of this sort could have serious ramifications.
The only way to be sure that you can legally fly with CBD oil is to ensure that each product is backed by independent laboratory testing.
All reputable manufacturers send their cannabis infused products, including CBD oil, out for testing by third-party laboratories. These labs test the product for purity, potency, and legality. After testing, the lab provides a document (known as a “Certificate of Analysis” of “CoA”) with comprehensive information about its chemical makeup.
If you’re flying with CBD oil, it is vitally important to check the CoA for each product you plan to bring.
The most important detail to check is theTHC level, the psychoactive cannabinoid present in all forms of cannabis, that the oil contains. To legally be brought on a flight, the CBD oil must contain no more than 0.3% THC. CBD oils that exceed this limit are illegal drugs as defined by the law, even if they were made from industrial hemp.
Every product at CBD Choice has comprehensive CoA’s proving its purity, potency, and legality. If you’re having trouble locating the Certificate of Analysis for your product, or if you’d like help interpreting the CoA’s, please reach out to our customer support staff. We’re more than happy to help.
Tip Three: Carry Certificates of Analysis for all CBD Products
Even if you’ve done everything you can to verify the legality of your CBD oil, TSA security may have questions about the products you bring with you. When flying with CBD oil, you should always carry a printed-out copy of each product’s Certificate of Analysis.
For extra peace of mind, consider a few extra precautions.
- Highlight the section of the CoA showing that the product contains <0.3% THC
- Print out a copy of the relevant TSA security regulations
- For extra security, bring relevant passages of the 2018 Farm Bill
- Note that this step is unnecessary, as the above TSA regulations clearly lay-out the 0.3% THC legality criteria. For those looking to be extra cautious, however, SEC. 297A.(1) of the Farm Bill sets out the criteria for legal cannabis infused products including CBD oil
If you plan to bring CBD oil in your carry-on, simply have these documents on your person. Place the highlighted documentation in a sealed bag with your CBD oil if you plan to put such products in your checked luggage.
By taking these extra steps, you can ensure you’ll have a smooth experience when flying with CBD oil. Even if TSA security officials question your CBD products, you’ll be able to quickly and easily prove the legality of your CBD oil and demonstrate that they are allowed by current TSA guidelines.
Tip Four: Properly Package your CBD Oil
CBD oils, CBD topicals, and some other products are liquids. As such, they fall under a particular set of TSA security regulations. After all, you can’t even fly with water unless it’s properly packaged.
When flying with CBD oil or topicals, be sure to do the following:
- Bring only products with less than 3.4 ounce (100 milliliters) volume per item
- Store all such products in a single quart-sized or smaller bag
Most CBD oils come in 1oz volume, so it’s unlikely that your CBD oil will break the first rule. However, topicals and some larger tinctures may be too large to be brought on a flight legally, so always double-check before packing.
Final Thoughts on Flying with CBD Oil
Flying is stressful enough, and worries over the legality of your CBD products cause extra concerns that you just don’t need. By following the precautions we’ve laid out, you can give yourself peace of mind and ensure that your airport experience will be smooth sailing.
So can you fly with CBD oil? Yes! Even though marijuana remains illegal under federal law, cannabis infused products, including CBD oil, can legally be brought on flights, so long as they were produced within the regulations set down by the 2018 Farm Bill.
However, it would be best to verify that your CBD oils are compliant with all relevant regulations. By buying only from reputable vendors, checking each product’s Certificate of Analysis, and properly packaging your CBD oil, you can ensure that you’ll have a smooth and easy experience flying with CBD oil.
For more tips on traveling with CBD, check out our in-depth article on flying with CBD products. There you’ll find recommendations on which CBD products travel best, a more comprehensive breakdown of TSA and federal regulations, and even tips on international travel!
We hope this article has helped put your mind at ease. As always, if you have any further questions we’re happy to help! Just reach out to our knowledgeable customer support staff, who will be more than happy to address any concerns you have.
Bon voyage!
