Due to the fact that marijuana is still an illegal drug under federal law, people may still be at risk of getting into trouble traveling with the drug.
Post-security areas at airports are ruled by federal agencies so it may be an issue getting the pot you just purchased in a state like California or Oregon to another state via plane.
“The passenger’s originating and destination airports are not taken into account,” said TSA spokeswoman Lorie Dankers. “TSA’s response to the discovery of marijuana is the same in every state and at every airport — regardless of whether marijuana has been or is going to be legalized.”
The Los Angeles Airport Police, which operates at Los Angeles International Airport as well as other airports in Southern California have said that if someone is stopped by the TSA and had a legal amount of medical of recreational marijuana, airport police would not charge them with anything.
According to the Los Angeles Airport Police, this is “Because it is not a crime.”
The same rule applies to John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California.
“If the TSA calls us [about finding marijuana], we’d go up and make sure it is within the legal quantity. If it is, we’d just stand by while the passenger decides what to do with it,” explained Lieutenant Mark Gonzales. Gonzales is the airport police services bureau chief with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.
“TSA may not want it to fly, but that doesn’t mean it is illegal in California,” he said.
