LOS ANGELES- Passengers flying out of LAX can now pack something extra in their carry-on luggage–cannabis.
Airport police now say they will not stop passengers if they find marijuana in their suitcases. The official website for LAX backs this up and states that cannabis possession in the airport is no longer illegal because of Prop. 64 going into effect earlier this year.
“While federal law prohibits the possession of marijuana (inclusive of federal airspace,) California’s passage of proposition 64, effective January 1, 2018, allows for individuals 21 years of age or older to possess up to 28.5 grams of marijuana and 8 grams of concentrated marijuana for personal consumption,” the statement reads. “In accordance with Proposition 64, the Los Angeles Airport Police Department will allow passengers to travel through LAX with up to 28.5 grams of marijuana and 8 grams of concentrated marijuana. However, passengers should be aware that marijuana laws vary state by state and they are encouraged to check the laws of the states in which they plan to travel.”
According to NBC Los Angeles, TSA agents can still turn passengers away if they find cannabis on a passenger or in their luggage. However, the matter would most likely then be referred to airport police, who are now saying they will not confiscate flyer’s stash so long as they are not exceeding the legal limit of 28.5 grams.
The news may be particularly welcomed by patients who often have to choose between sneaking cannabis onboard aircraft illegally or forgoing their medicine altogether.
“I think it’s revolutionary,” said Maddie, an Orange County native whose father Matt travels with his cannabis oil.
Some on Twitter were rejoicing over the news.
“You can now bring weed thru LAX. The Mile High Club is real. What a time to be alive,” Twitter user Rachel Wolfson said.
Taylor Ulrich, an attorney for Manzuri Law, a criminal defense firm that specializes in cannabis, feels that there is still at least a small chance flyers could get into trouble with federal authorities. If a TSA agent discovers cannabis on a passenger, “they could still refer the situation to a federal agency, such as the DEA, who may have enforcement authority,” Ulrich said in a release sent to mgretailer. Despite this, it still seems unlikely a passenger leaving LAX would run into federal trouble if they possess less than one ounce of cannabis.
Cannabis is still listed as a Schedule I narcotic on the Drug Enforcement Agency’s (DEA) list of narcotics. Despite this, 30 states have legalized the drug for medicinal use while nine have legalized recreational use.
