Flying With Edibles & Bringing Weed On A Plane 2022 - Oakland Mofo

As of 2025, local laws in most US states are geared towards medical marijuana and recreational marijuana, so of course people want to know if you can legally bring weed or edibles on an airplane or even sneak it on a plane without a medical card.

The simplified answer? Technically, yes, per the Transportation Security Agency Government website, just put it in your carry-on bag with your medical card. That’s it, and you don’t have to get creative or be sneaky.

Be sure to use a smell proof bag like this one on eBay.

We are NOT suggesting you attempt to work your way around or break any local or federal laws. This information provided is based on the TSA.gov official ruling on flying with edibles or weed in checked bags or carry-on luggage. Legally, you must personally check with your local or federal laws.

You do not want to put it in your checked bag because they do random searches with checked luggage. You need a carry-on like this one.

Can I Put Weed or Edibles In Checked Bag?

No, both marijuana and edibles should go in your carry-on bag or backpack Again, the same rules apply. Neither edibles or actual marijuana flower should be placed in a checked bag, checked luggage or suitcase because the TSA does do random searches. They are fine in your carry-on luggage. Edibles don’t even smell so you have nothing to worry about. Edibles are organic materials and snacks.

Marijuana however does smell and it must also go in your carry-on bag. Because of this it is best to use a smell-proof travel bag such as the many options we present below. They are Airport Security approved smell-proof bags. You just throw it in with your clothes, socks, underwear, and miscellaneous luggage. You can see from the airport security scanner image that edibles and flower won’t show up in the X-ray machine because they are organic material.

Very nice smell-proof bags for air travel available on eBay

Large Gray Smell Proof Bag with Zipper and Roll Seal Top Small Smell Proof Bag Large Gray Smell Proof Bag with Travel Lock

Can you legally bring weed/edibles on a plane?

Now that you know you can easily put anything in your carry on back or backpack, what about the legality of it?

Legally, the TSA does not enforce federal laws or search for drugs. They do allow you to bring certain medical marijuana products on the plane. However, they do not search for any drugs or enforce local or federal laws for any type of marijuana. They can only call your local police department, where it may be legal. As for edibles, they won’t even know what they are looking at if they see them but the same rules apply. You must keep in mind that a pot brownie, aka edible in checked bags, looks just like a regular brownie, and this is not of their concern.Below is a screenshot taken directly from the offcial TSA site stating their regulations. Source: TSA They say, “The final decision rests with the TSA officer on whether an item is allowed through the checkpoint.”

Getting Past The TSA Security Checkpoint

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How you can you get past the TSA?Airport Security can be a scary barrier to penetrate, but it’s extremely easy to just put weed in your carry-on bag with your medical card. Yes, that’s right, simply put it in your bag and forget about it. But it must be in your carry on, do not put it in your normal checked-in luggage or suitcase under the plane in the cargo bay. The TSA does randomly search checked luggage before loading it onto the flight. Also, no plastic bottles.

But keep in mind you don’t have to worry at all. The TSA openly states they are not even searching for marijuana and don’t care. This is not their mission.

Legal Note: I am not promoting illegal drug smuggling by any means. I assume you have a medical card, making marijuana legal for you, or living in a state where recreational marijuana is legal, such as California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Colorado or any of the many states listed as legal below. This article is for information or for educational purposes. Most airline companies have rules regarding marijuana despite your local state or federal laws. However, TSA Agents do not enforce individual airline rules and airlines.

Will TSA Security arrest me if I am caught with weed?

No, TSA agents do not arrest anyone. They would have to call your local police department to take action. But keep in mind, Federal laws still do not allow you to travel to other states with recreational or medical marijuana, your state and local TSA may not care at all.

Getting Past Airport X-Ray Scanner

As for the Airport X-Ray Scanners? Marijuana and edibles are both organic materials and are not going to raise any eyebrows as a weapon would. They will look like anything else, such as socks, ramen noodles, a random food gift, etc.Marijuana and edibles show up as an organic orange color in the scanner and is mostly invisible unless you try to hide it in something non-organic. Blue would be synthetics like plastic, and black metals, and green is more like thin plastics. Either way, most of the scan is orange, all organic materials. Notice you can’t see any clothes, socks, pants or shirts? It’s all orange. Because marijuana and edibles are organic, they appear orange and therefore invisible. Don’t go hiding it in a metal or plastic tube. Use something smell-proof as we suggested above and you are done. It really is that simple.

Flying with marijuana, edibles, gummies, hash oils, dab wax, hash, and vape cartridges, is all the same. You can also fly with vaporizers in your carry-on bag. You can also fly with edibles in your bags, which may be the easiest. It is all organic material.

What are the consequence of getting caught?

If you are a legal Medical Card carrier, or in a recreational state, TSA will not do anything. At worst they could throw it away but even this is not their job duty and it is not something they are looking for or care about. If you are not following local law, you could get a ticket and a court date in that city for possession of marijuana. This can depend on your state though. There are still states that will jail you for carrying marijuana. Keep in mind we’re talking about medical states and legal states and following your local laws.

In a medical state, it has been said if you are caught without a card, they will take the weed, give you a ticket and let you catch your flight with no jail time. So far, all reports I have seen state that they will not make you miss your flight over a little pot, card, or not. Especially in a place like Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, and now California. All states where marijuana is legal by state law for recreational use. States like California’s airports such as Oakland International Airport, San Francisco International, Los Angeles International Airport.

How The TSA Handles Marijuana

If the TSA officer at your airport finds weed in your suitcase, they will not be able to do anything. They hold no power. They can choose to report you to the local authorities. That being said, they follow state laws, not federal laws. So like in California they would verify your card here. CA State Verification.

Do checked luggage bags get searched for drugs?

Yes, checked bags undergo random searches, which is why you want to put anything in your carry-on.

One extremely important thing to remember is never to put a vape pen in your checked bag. They have batteries that can not go in the airplane compartment due to possible explosion/fire hazards. This is why so many electronics must only be shipped via Ground Mail. To avoid the underbelly of a plane.

The TSA states they are not even searching for marijuana and don’t care. Even if they do accidentally find it, there is a chance they will not even alert local police officers in the current airport. It is a lot of work, and they know it will result in nothing or a small ticket. They do not “search” for it, I think, mainly because it shows up is an organic orange color in the scanner and is mostly invisible unless you try to hide it in something non-organic. Blue would be synthetics like plastic, and black metals, and green is more like thin plastics. Either way, most of the scan is orange, all organic materials. Notice you can’t see any clothes, socks, pants or shirts? It’s all orange. Because marijuana and edibles are organic, they appear orange and therefore invisible. Don’t go hiding it in a metal or plastic tube. Use something smell-proof, but if you see a drug-sniffing dog at the airport, they are trained in one thing only, explosives. Not your tiny amount of medical weed. If it is an international airport, they may be trained for cocaine as well.

Don’t Trigger A Search!No liquids! These raise suspicion so just don’t. No open jars/bottles of shampoos. You can bring your toiletries but use the TSA rules, put them in a separate clear bag, remove it from your carry on bag and put it in the bin so it does not trigger a search of your bag, or just put them in your checked baggage that goes under the plane. No laptops in your bag(this will get your bag opened up right there). They will remind you but take your laptop out and set it to the side of your bag or under it. However, they do not require you to take out your tablet so you could leave that in as a clutter distraction. I did forget to take my laptop out of my bag and the TSA officers made me go back through the scanner only to find nothing.

Flying With Edibles / Marijuana Food

Here, we are on a whole new level. The same rules apply when trying to sneak a pot cookie, brownie, gummy bears, or any THC concentrates on a plane. This is even easier because it is just food, a snack, that’s that. It will not show up, just like when you took normal non-weed food on a flight last time. The only difference is it now has marijuana in the brownie. They can’t tell. But some people need reassurance that you can fly with edibles such as pot brownies or gummy bears. In this case, it is even easier. It looks like food people! Just put it in your carry-on bag, once in your assigned seat, pull it out and eat it! In front of them! Joking, do not break any laws, but no one can tell you if a cookie, brownie, gummy bear, or chocolate bar is laced with marijuana or not. Do not be paranoid. It may help if you have normal packaging and not some crazy weed leaves and medical wording. As for dabs, wrap them up, stuff them in a sock. Hash? Same thing. Treat it like normal flower buds. Read the above article and the comments below for people’s experiences flying with weed and sneaking edibles in an airport.

Flying With Vape Pens / Vaporizers / Hash Oil Pens

If you plan on flying with a vaporizer, you must put it in your carry-on luggage. The TSA does not allow you to put the vape pen batteries in your checked luggage below the plane. There are too many poorly manufactured tank systems with low-quality batteries that could catch fire on the plane. So, bring it all with you in your luggage like normal. Source: TSA

Marijuana Legal In Several States

Of course now it’s completely legal in several US States and you don’t even have to worry about concealing it. But you still can / should because why go through the trouble?

Cannabis Legal States

1. Colorado since 2012
2. Washington since 2012
3. Alaska since 2012
4. District of Columbia since 2014
5. Oregon since 2014
6. California since 2016
7. Nevada since 2016
8. Main since 2016
9. Massachusetts since 2016
10. Michigan since 2018
11. Vermont since 2018
12. Illinois since 2019
13. Arizona since 2020
14. Montana since 2020
15. New Jersey since 2020
16. Connecticut since 2021
17. New Mexico since 2021
18. New York since 2021
19. Virginia since 2021
20. Maryland since 2022
21. Missouri since 2022
22. Rhode Island since 2022
23. Delaware since 2023
24. Minnesota since 2023
25. Ohio since 2023

Medically Legal States

• Arkansas
• Florida
• Hawaii
• Louisiana
• Mississippi
• North Dakota
• New Hampshire
• Oklahoma
• Pennsylvania
• Utah
• Alabama
• Kentucky
• West Virginia

Decriminalized States

SourceSo as you can see, flying with weed just about anywhere is no big risk anyway.

Landing In Another Airport With Weed?Remember, just because you got on the flight at OAK, SFO or LAX does not mean the airport you landed in(or state) allows for medical marijuana so be very careful not to break the law. Luckily I have not heard anything about people getting searched on the way out of an airport so you should be fine.

Note: We highly suggest you follow your local laws, federal laws and rules of the airline you booked with. I am not claiming to be a final verdict or a set of laws regarding this topic and hold no legal responsibilities for your actions. This is just the information that I myself have come to conclusion with based on a lot of research including fieldwork studies put with online information.

Please comment below if you have more to add to the topic or your own personal experience with Airport Security. Specifically, if you have flown with weed on an International Flight from say Canada, United Kingdom, Asia, China or anywhere overseas.Do not comment asking if you can sneak weed on an airplane one way or another. Read the article and comments for that answer.