Traveling with marijuana is not always as clear cut as traveling with other prescriptions and substances that are federally regulated and legal across the United States. People are surprised to learn that, even with a medical marijuana card in your pocket, you can still be arrested for possessing marijuana depending on a variety of factors.

While the United States has seen a lot of improvement around cannabis legalization and policy changes, especially in the realm of cannabis decriminalization, there is still a long way to go before all of the risks associated with using cannabis become nonexistent. The complicated thing about the marijuana industry in our country is just how much can change from state to state. You have the states that have not legalized medical marijuana at all, then you have states that have restricted programs, and other states with legal marijuana for all adults over the age of 21.

Plus, you have to worry about which types of products are specifically illegal or banned from a state, what type of potency is allowed, how much weed you can carry, and when and where you are able to use it. All of these things can change depending on where you are in the United States. This system is really not ideal since there are so many inconsistencies for medical marijuana users to have to navigate. Hopefully this will help incentivize the federal government to get involved. In the meantime, however, there are a few things that medical marijuana patients can do to minimize the risk they face from traveling with marijuana across the country. Today, I am going to be writing about this subject and hopefully offering you some great tips that you can use.

One of the most important things that you need to keep in mind is where you can smoke or use cannabis. Many places in the United States ban use of marijuana in public places. This basically means that, unless it is your property or you have specific permission to be using marijuana, it is likely not legal to use it. A good rule of thumb to keep in mind is that anywhere tobacco use is banned, cannabis use is also banned. You also do not want to be carrying marijuana on federal property.

You may be surprised at just how much federal property you could come across when traveling, but it really applies to all federally-owned land or buildings. Even in a state that has legalized marijuana, the federal government overruled the state law if it is in regard to federal property. Thus, you do not want to be caught carrying weed in any federal schools, airports, national parks, and many more places. All government buildings and schools are off limits as well. Remember, even if you have a medical marijuana card from your home state, you can still be charged and arrested in other places around the country. 

Another thing that you want to keep in mind is how much cannabis you can buy or possess in a certain area. Let’s say you are visiting your cousin out on the east coast and decide to visit a local dispensary. You see that they have your favorite strain in stock at an even cheaper price than what you are used to back home – of course, you have to stock up!

However, you may want to be careful. Even if you have your medical marijuana card, you still want to be keeping track of how much weed you are carrying. Some states have a weight restriction on THC as well, so your possession may not just be measured in grams or ounces. This is something that can screw over a lot of medical marijuana users that are not familiar with the cannabis laws in the state they are visiting.