In Canada, you have the freedom to pack up to 30g of marijuana in your carry-on luggage when taking domestic flights. However, stepping outside the country introduces a whole new set of rules and considerations that every traveler should be aware of.
Within Canada, you won’t face legal consequences, need a doctor’s prescription, or encounter intimidating sniffer dogs upon landing, as long as you stay within the country’s borders. But when it comes to crossing international boundaries, especially into the United States, the landscape changes significantly.
Travel With Marijuana
Across the Border, Things are Very Different
U.S. federal law continues to prohibit the possession, sale, and distribution of marijuana. If you embark on a journey from a Canadian city like Vancouver to a U.S. destination like Ohio, you’ll need to either discard your marijuana stash or refrain from carrying any amount at all. Smoking or vaping on a plane is strictly prohibited.
Regardless of individual U.S. states legalizing marijuana for medical or recreational use, the federal law takes precedence for foreign visitors entering the United States. It is crucial to understand the implications before embarking on a journey.
Some states and provinces in the United States and Canada have legalized the purchase, possession, or distribution of marijuana for medical and recreational uses. Still, the United States’ federal law prohibits all of the preceding.
What to Consider When Traveling to the U.S.
Before attempting to bring marijuana into the United States, here are some key points travelers should keep in mind:
Many states only allow the use of medical marijuana. For example, marijuana in Ohio is still illegal for recreational use, but you can access it for medicinal purposes by getting the Ohio medical marijuana card.
Possession of recreational marijuana is still a crime in many parts of the United States. Canadians traveling on a cross-border flight may not bring marijuana, regardless of their citizenship.
What to Consider When Traveling to Canada
It remains illegal to import cannabis into Canada from international destinations.
If you have cannabis or products containing marijuana with you when entering Canada, you should report it to the Canadian border patrol agency. Otherwise, you may face legal action, including apprehension and prosecution.
Traveling to Canada with Marijuana
Canadian airports are working hard to ensure that Canadians do not encounter any problems when traveling abroad.
At Toronto Pearson Airport, there are several reminder kiosks that provide information on cannabis rules for passengers, such as the consequences for passengers who cross the border with cannabis.
If travelers travel with cannabis and cross national borders, they have a few options. Some retailers operating at the airport offer a return program for personal items.
Travelers can also throw the items in the collection bins.
Indeed, after filling out a form with your details and address, you can drop your marijuana in a trash can, and it will be returned to you.
Overview of what is acceptable in Canada
You can carry 30 grams of marijuana on a domestic flight.
Residents of Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Yukon, British Columbia, Labrador, Newfoundland, Nunavut, Ontario, Saskatchewan, and Northwest Territories must be over 19 years old to buy marijuana.
Only residents of Alberta and Quebec are permitted to purchase cannabis if they are 18 years or older.
Within all provinces and territories of Canada, the legal weed limit is 30 grams.
You can travel with no more than 30 grams of cannabis across Canada without legal prosecution if consumed within the borders of the provinces and territories. You may get 14 years in prison for crossing Canadian borders with cannabis.
Traveling to the United States with Marijuana
Taking marijuana across the border at a border crossing remains illegal under U.S. federal law.
Taking a trip with marijuana to the United States will have consequences. Imagine a significant prison sentence or a travel ban to the United States because you forgot you have 30 grams in your pocket.
Despite Canada’s cannabis law, importing marijuana into the United States remains a federal offense.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection enforces U.S. laws, and officers will continue to monitor all land and air traffic between Canada and the United States in light of Canada’s new rules. So, it’s important you know what to expect before you choose to travel with marijuana.
1 Comment
Thanks for sharing