5 Tips for Traveling with CBD and Delta-8

You’ve been using CBD and Delta-8 THC products for a while now, and you’ve fallen in love with them. You’ve decided to travel within the U.S. and want to bring your products with you. Alternatively, perhaps you’ve heard how hemp products like CBD can lessen travel anxiety so you’re excited to try it as a remedy for this. Questions are flooding your mind, such as, Can I cross state lines, or Can I bring it on the plane? Here is what you need to know about traveling with CBD or Delta-8 in the U.S.

Why Travel with CBD and Delta-8 THC?

There are a few reasons you may choose to travel with hemp products like CBD and Delta-8 THC. CBD in particular, according to Forbes, can help with a fear of flying or the feeling of unease during turbulence. If you’re feeling uncomfortable from the lack of leg room, then you could also try a CBD topical cream to help with the pain. Finally, travelers also find CBD to be beneficial to fight jet lag and to rest during the flight. In terms of Delta-8 THC, on the other hand, you may want to take while on your actual vacation after a long day to help you unwind with a buzz, as it can be used in place of an alcoholic beverage.

Legal Status of Hemp in the U.S.

The 2018 Farm Bill created a legal distinction between “industrial hemp” and “marijuana” cannabis. As a result, industrial hemp, defined as any cannabis plant that contains less than 0.3% Delta-9 THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol), became federally legal. This means that, at a federal level, hemp is no longer a controlled substance and the consumption, production, and transportation of hemp is legal. Again, hemp products must contain below 0.3 percent Delta-9 THC to avoid being categorized as marijuana. States can then create their own governing rules for hemp within their boundaries. Despite the regulatory changes to legalize hemp at a federal level, a few states have implemented state-specific restrictions. With this in mind, as long as the state you’re traveling from and to allow the possession of hemp products, then it is okay for you to cross state lines with those products.

State-by-state regulations may differ for both CBD and Delta-8 THC, so you must understand exactly what you’re transporting and do your own research to understand the laws of where you’re traveling to and from. NORML is a source which generally gives up-to-date information regarding cannabis and hemp laws in each state. According to WebMD, quality CBD and other hemp-derived products should have a certificate of analysis (CoA), which is normally listed on the manufacturer’s website or on a QR code typically found on the product’s packaging. The CoA lists the amounts of various cannabinoids, such as CBD and Delta-8 THC, found in the product as well as verifies the absence of heavy metals and other harmful contaminants and lists lab where the product was tested. It is recommended to only consume products with valid CoAs that show clear testing results and clean products.

Tips to Traveling with CBD or Delta-8

1. Make sure to research the states you’re traveling to and from beforehand to check if hemp products such as CBD and Delta-8 THC are legal in those particular states. For example, if you are traveling from Texas to Wisconsin, make sure both states are okay with the use of Delta-8 THC and CBD. As Discover Magazine states, as long the state you’re going to has CBD or Delta-8 THC legalized, there should be nothing for you to worry about in order to legally comply with state and federal laws.

2. Based on your means of travel, understand which enforcing bodies you may be prone to interacting with. For example, if you’re traveling via plane, you will come into contact with TSA (Transportation Security Administration), which is responsible for general travel safety. According to TSA, their officers do not specifically search for marijuana or other hemp products, so it is unlikely that they would question you about yours. If you’re worried about airport dogs sniffing out your products and raising alarm, as WebMD points out, the dogs’ primary purpose is to discover explosives, not other substances.

3. To reduce your risk of interacting with law enforcement, choose products that minimize underlying plant odor, which is often associated with marijuana whether or not the plant is actually industrial hemp or marijuana. You can do this by choosing to travel with edibles or topicals, which generally use distilled cannabinoid inputs, whereas you may raise more suspicion if you bring a flower or oil form of CBD or Delta-8 THC. These forms often carry stronger odors. Edibles and topicals are also the perfect way to reduce pain and stress during the actual flight itself!

4. Keeping your products as discrete as possible can be a great way to lower your risk for interaction with authorities and keep your concerns at bay. Even so, you can keep them in an accessible location so as to not appear you are hiding the products, such as in a pocket of your backpack. It’s important to note that we are not recommending you “hide” your products… If you have done your research and the locations you’re traveling to and from don’t restrict your products, then legally, you’re covered. Rather, these measures are simply suggested to lower your exposure and the associated risk of interacting with authorities and the risk of having to explain their products or federal laws, since that is what many individuals fear when traveling.

5. To further reduce concern for complications while traveling with hemp-derived products, download the testing results (usually Called Certificates of Analysis or COAs) from the brand or product you’re carrying as proof that the products are federally compliant and contain less than 0.3% Delta 9 THC. Here is an example of a COA available for download.

What happens if someone finds your products or accuses you of carrying cannabis?

Again, as long as you’ve done your own research and the products you’re carrying are indeed legal in the geographies in which your traveling, there should be nothing to fear! You are legally compliant and well within your rights to possess and travel with these products. Keep in mind (or bookmark a website citing) that in 2018, the Farm Bill legalized all hemp-derived products with less than 0.3% Delta 9 THC. You can reference this fact and the Farm Bill if you come into contact with anyone accusing you of carrying marijuana when you are indeed carrying legal hemp-derived products.

Similarly, bookmark the relevant state laws for the state(s) in which you are traveling so you can show compliance at the state level. Show the accusers the CoAs for your products, which will display their testing results and show that they are below the legal limit for Delta 9 THC, thus federally compliant and within the federal legal limits for hemp-derived cannabinoids. Assuming the state you are traveling in has laws that are consistent with the federal guidelines, you can also use your COA to show compliance at the state level.