More than three million Americans use medical marijuana for their health and wellness needs. This number continues to grow across the country as more states legalize the plant for medical and recreation uses. While medical patients are free to purchase and use cannabis within their state’s limits, the rules don’t extend outside of state lines. If you’re a patient, you should be aware of the rules around traveling with medical marijuana to make sure you stay compliant and avoid any legal problems.
Read on to learn about the risks, legality, and tips for safe travel with medical cannabis.
Understanding the Law
Traveling with medical marijuana falls into a legal gray area because of different state and federal laws. Here’s what you need to know:
Federal Marijuana Law
Cannabis is currently classified as a Schedule 1 controlled substance, meaning it currently has no accepted medical uses. While we wait for this classification to align with the research and evidence about the medical potential of cannabis, patients must tread carefully.
Because cannabis is a Schedule 1 controlled substance and not legal on a federal level, traveling across state lines with the plant is illegal. This includes traveling from one state with legal cannabis to another.
If you purchased products from a Connecticut medical dispensary and then drove to Massachusetts, for example, you’d risk federal criminal charges. It doesn’t matter that both states have legal medical cannabis. Crossing state boundaries with cannabis, even with a medical marijuana card, is a federal crime.
State-by-State Variations
The rules get even trickier when looking at state-to-state regulations. While you can’t travel with cannabis from one state to the next, you may be able to purchase medical cannabis outside of your state of residence, depending on specific laws.
Be sure to check the laws in each state you plan to travel to, as they can vary greatly across the country. Some states with medical cannabis programs have reciprocity laws that allow out-of-state medical patients to purchase products at a licensed dispensary. But if you want to shop at our Massachusetts medical marijuana dispensary, you will need to possess a Massachusetts medical card. The state does permit medical cannabis purchasers from out-of-state cardholders. Likewise, our Connecticut medical marijuana dispensary can only serve in-state cardholders.
But if you’re visiting from out of state and at least 21 years old, you can purchase recreational cannabis from our Mass recreational dispensary or from our recreational dispensary in CT.
What Are the Risks of Traveling with Medical Marijuana?
It’s never a good idea to travel with cannabis outside of the state you purchase it in. It doesn’t matter if you purchased the product legally and are traveling to another state with legal cannabis; no matter the situation or quantity you’re traveling with, crossing state borders with cannabis is a federal crime.
Several different scenarios could play out if you are caught crossing state lines while traveling with medical marijuana. Depending on the circumstances, you could face arrest, fines, and criminal charges. Law enforcement could also confiscate your medicine. All of these scenarios could lead to having your medical marijuana patient status revoked, too.
Traveling with Medical Cannabis
Even with a valid medical marijuana card, we recommend not traveling with cannabis unless you are 100% certain that you are aligned with state and federal laws. Be sure to research the rules and reciprocity laws in each state you plan to visit. Some states allow you to apply for a temporary in-state medical marijuana card if you’ll be visiting for a short period of time.
When traveling to states with legal frameworks, it’s wise to only purchase cannabis at your destination rather than travel across state lines with it. When driving with cannabis, be sure to always travel with the original packaging and have proof of your medical cannabis card at the ready. Documentation proving that you are a qualified medical cannabis patient should be easily accessible when traveling with cannabis.
Final Thoughts
We know that many people rely on medical cannabis as an essential medicine. But given the convoluted legal status of the plant, certain laws make traveling with medical marijuana risky. We hope this information will help patients stay safe and do their research when traveling with medical marijuana
Planning to travel soon? We have multiple Connecticut medical cannabis dispensary locations and a Massachusetts medical marijuana dispensary in Rowley. Our knowledgeable staff is happy to help you find exactly what you need. Check out our medical locations to see the full list for your travels.
