Can You Take CBD Edibles on an Airplane?

CBD edibles, like gummy bears, are many travelers' secret gadgets to combat flight anxiety, muscle pains, or jet lag. But crossing borders with them can be a bit complicated. The article explains whether you can carry CBD edibles on an airplane by outlining these headlines: what is a CBD edible, why do CBD edibles appeal to travelers, and are CBD edibles legal to fly with?

CBD products have gained massive popularity in people's lifestyles. According to clinical trials and studies, the cannabinoid can be used to eradicate body imbalances, such as relieving body pains and inflammation, treating anxiety, fighting cancer cells, improving sleep quality, lowering blood pressure, and improving focus and concentration. Today, CBD is found in almost everything, from tea on your favorite hotel, beauty products, and capsules to even edibles like cakes. CBD edibles are hard to be identified; therefore, you can consume them anywhere. Flying for a vacation or business trip can be tiresome and stressful, so you may require something to improve your mood and regulate stress. Can you fly with CBD products like edibles?  

What is CBD Edible?

CBD (cannabidiol) is an active chemical compound extracted from the cannabis sativa plant. The hemp plant is the legal cannabis strain authorized to produce CBD oil. It contains a high concentration of cannabinoids and no or low levels of THC. CBD does not contain THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, and produces a feeling of high and confusion. CBD is famous for exhibiting health properties such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, analgesic, antioxidant, and adaptogen features without causing any mind-altering effects. Upon extraction, CBD is diluted using organic carrier oils like coconut or hemp oil to form highly concentrated CBD oil.

The word edible means anything that you can eat or drink. Foley & Joana (2020) noted that CBD oil is added to ingredients for making gummy bears, cookies, brownies, sweets, beverages, and cakes to form a CBD edible regime. Edibles allow you to harness the power of the cannabinoid with your favorite delicious taste by masking the unpleasant bitter earthy taste associated with most cannabis oil.

Why Do CBD Edibles Appeal to Travelers?

CBD edibles have become a common remedy for combating tension and anxiety surrounding travelers. Whether a nervous traveler or worried about traveling with family, CBD edibles are famous for getting the tension out of your shoulders and returning to having a great flying experience. For fliers against significant time differences, the edibles play a big role in calming and relaxing the muscles to relieve body fatigue and help you get a good sleep when your mind clock is out of whack. Additionally, some travelers suffer plane nausea and vomiting, which is common among seniors or kids. McPartland et al. (2015) explained that upon ingesting CBD edibles, it interacts with the body's endocannabinoid system (ECS), which is responsible for maintaining body balances by eradicating pain inflammations, anxiety, appetite, etc. CBD increases the release of anandamide that binds with cannabinoid receptors to reduce inflammatory responses responsible for making you feel nauseous. You may constantly be dealing with aches and pains or spinal discomfort due to too many hours of traveling; CBD is the remedy for treating such conditions by blocking pain terminals in the nervous system and making you feel alert, fresh, and relaxed.

Are CBD Edibles Legal to Fly With?

Unfortunately, there is no straightforward answer to this question because when traveling, the legality changes based on the current location and the final destination. Mead & Alice (2017) established that CBD edibles extracted from the hemp plant are legal under federal law in the USA, and it has been since the farm bill law was signed in 2018. However, possession of marijuana products like marijuana-derived CBD edibles is illegal since the product automatically will contain THC above the recommended mark. Most individual states' laws will allow traveling of hemp-derived CBD because the plant guarantees edible with less than 0.3% THC. Therefore consider the three critical areas of regulation before flying with CBD edibles:

The United States Individual Laws

Most states have passed a bill allowing the use of hemp oils and hemp CBD products. Moreover, several other states have further legalized CBD marijuana for recreation, medical, and food addiction. If you are traveling across states, consider the laws of the following states;

• Low restrictions- 17 states have allowed THC edibles, meaning you can also use CBD edibles with high THC levels. These states include South Dakota, the District of Columbia, California, Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Maine, Montana, Oregon, Vermont, Virginia, Massachusetts, Washington, New Jersey, Michigan, Illinois, and Nevada.
• Friendly restrictions – some other 20 states have allowed flying with CBD edibles with THC above the mark if only you have medical requirements. They include New York, Hawaii, Arkansas, Delaware, Connecticut, Florida, Louisiana, Ohio, Maryland, Missouri, New Mexico, North Dakota, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, Minnesota, New Hampshire, West Virginia, New Mexico, and Mississippi.
• High restrictions- some states allow only CBD edibles with 0% THC content in their airports. They include Iowa, Wyoming, Idaho, Tennessee, Kentucky, South Carolina, Alabama, Wisconsin, Georgia, and Indiana.

Transportation Security Administration (TSA)

According to TSA, their office screening is based on the state's security and laws. If marijuana substance appears during screening, TSA officers report you to the police for law enforcement. Petrusis et al. (2021) observed that the following are general laws of TSA;

• Allows only medical marijuana
• Edibles with less than 0.3% THC
• Supplements approved by FDA. Currently, the Food and Drug Administration has approved CBD for epidiolex

International Marijuana and CBD Regulations

If you wish to travel outside the country, always research the country of destination since most countries use CBD for medical purposes. In international airports in some states, even where hemp CBD is legal, TSA does not allow you to carry the products, especially if you travel to Asian countries. Most countries have legalized the product in Europe, including the famous UK, but some countries like Iceland have yet to announce it. Lastly, CBD products remain highly regulated in South America, but Colombia and Uruguay are currently pushing to legalize hemp CBD fully.

Conclusion

You can do diligent research on flying with CBD edibles to keep your trip anxiety-free. Fortunately, this blog should assist you in enjoying your CBD edible safely and legally on a plane. It is a green light for most USA states if you carry CBD edibles derived from the hemp plant, but marijuana-derived is not allowed in most state laws. Additionally, TSA does not allow Marijuana products except those prescribed by authorized medical personnel. When traveling outside the country, it all depends on the laws of the destination country.

References

Foley, J. (2020). CBD Analysis In Oils And Foods (Doctoral Dissertation, Augusta University).

Mcpartland, J. M., Duncan, M., Di Marzo, V., & Pertwee, R. G. (2015). Are Cannabidiol And Δ9‐Tetrahydrocannabivarin Negative Modulators Of The Endocannabinoid System? A Systematic Review. British Journal Of Pharmacology, 172(3), 737-753.

Mead, A. (2017). The Legal Status Of Cannabis (Marijuana) And Cannabidiol (CBD) Under US Law. Epilepsy & Behavior, 70, 288-291.

Petrusis, J. L. (2021). Sky High? The Federal-State Marijuana Law Conflict And Airline Travelers. The Air And Space Lawyer, 34(1), 11-13.