TSA will now permit passengers to carry weed on plane, however there’s a catch (Image: Getty Images)
American vacationers can now carry medical marijuana on flights following a quiet replace by the Transportation Security Administration to the “What can I bring” part of its web site, which incorporates new steering on the substance.
The TSA revised its coverage on April 27, 2026, allowing passengers to transport medical marijuana in each carry-on and checked baggage with “special instructions,” in accordance to the company’s web site.
This coverage shift may have an effect on tens of millions of Americans who rely on medicinal or leisure marijuana. Currently, 40 states plus the District of Columbia have legalized hashish for medical functions; nonetheless, marijuana stays federally prohibited, with airports falling underneath federal jurisdiction. The change follows the Trump administration’s choice to reclassify medical hashish as a much less harmful substance.
Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) exhibits that hashish is probably the most extensively used federally unlawful substance within the nation, with roughly 19% of Americans reporting use no less than as soon as since 2021.
More latest statistics from the National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics (NCDAS) reveal that 61.5 million Americans, representing 23.5% of the population, used marijuana in 2024, whereas 51% of Americans have tried it no less than as soon as.
The TSA would not seek for unlawful medication, however will inform a law enforcement officer if unlawful substances are discovered (Image: Getty Images)
For the tens of millions of Americans with physician-prescribed hashish, it’s now formally permitted for air travel.
Can I carry weed on my flight?
The up to date steering from airport security relating to hashish states: “TSA’s screening procedures are focused on security and are designed to detect potential threats to aviation and passengers.”
The assertion provides: “Accordingly, TSA security officers do not search for illegal drugs, but if any illegal substance or evidence of criminal activity is discovered during security screening, TSA will refer the matter to a law enforcement officer.”
The company has additionally clarified that “The final decision rests with the TSA officer on whether an item is allowed through the checkpoint.”
The steering signifies that TSA priorities heart on figuring out security dangers relatively than looking for passengers’ personal marijuana provides. That mentioned, vacationers ought to perceive there can nonetheless be repercussions for transporting hashish via airports.
Marijuana merchandise that are not for medical use, just like the now-allowed FDA-accepted medicines, are nonetheless unlawful to carry in airports and on planes. The Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) notes that whereas TSA personnel lack arrest authority since they are not sworn officers, they’re “required by law to notify local law enforcement, which, depending on the state, can land a person in real trouble.”
What prompted the TSA’s weed steering replace?
Just 4 days prior to the TSA revising its hashish coverage, the Trump administration took steps to reclassify marijuana on Thursday, April 23.
Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche signed an order, following President Donald Trump‘s December 2025 govt order, transferring marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III classification underneath the Controlled Substances Act.
In a assertion posted on X, Blanche defined, “These actions will enable more targeted, rigorous research into marijuana’s safety and efficacy, expanding patients’ access to treatments and empowering doctors to make better-informed healthcare decisions.”
Under its earlier Schedule I designation, marijuana was grouped with heroin, LSD, MDMA, and artificial opioids. The up to date Schedule III standing now locations it in the identical class as ketamine, anabolic steroids, and testosterone.
