What You Need To Know About Cannabis and Travel

Since Cannabis has been legalized in Canada, the Cannabis Act. When this Act was created, it contained many new rules and regulations regarding travelling with Cannabis. For many Canadians, travel is a big part of their lives, for leisure or work, so we thought it would be a great opportunity to go over some important information needed so you can travel safely with your medical marijuana.

International Destinations

Crossing borders with Cannabis is illegal. This applies to medicinal marijuana as well

Cannabis is legal in Canada however, the rules at Canada’s borders and ports of entry have not changed.

• Attempts to cross a border with cannabis may result in criminal penalties.
• Although some US states have legalized cannabis, under US Federal law, cannabis is still illegal.
• Each country decides who is eligible to enter at the border crossing. It’s best to learn what is and isn’t allowed before making your trip. We recommend you read up on any potential travel advisories here.

Travel in Canada By Air

Under the Cannabis Act, you can travel within Canada with prescription medical marijuana. If you are visiting another province, it would be a good idea to look up their cannabis laws and restrictions regarding how much you can possess and where it may be used in public.

You are permitted to bring cannabis in carry on and checked in luggage on domestic travel. The legal amount of cannabis you can hold for recreational purposes in 30g under the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority. They may ask for medical documentation like a prescription. It is important to note that there may be times your flight may have to be diverted and you could have an unexpected layover in the US. This is an excerpt from Air Canada’s website:

“In the case of a domestic flight, please be advised that unforeseen situations may and do arise that require a domestic flight to divert to a U.S. airport, where arriving in possession of cannabis is not legal. If you are refused entry into a country because you have cannabis in your possession, you alone will be responsible for the consequences, including for payment of your return trip home.”

Travel in Canada By Car

Every province and territory in Canada has their own restrictions on transporting cannabis in a car. It is up to you to know what is legal where you intend to visit.

Most provinces treat transportation of cannabis similarly to alcohol. If you are visiting in Ontario, their rules state that cannabis in your car or boat must be in closed and in the original packaging, or in a bag and placed in an area not accessible such as the trunk. Please keep in mind that it is illegal to drive while impaired from cannabis and could be dangerous to you and others.

How Much Cannabis Can I Carry?

The public possession limits within Canada are as follows:

• In public, you can carry 150g or a 30 day supply of dried flower, whichever amount is lesser.
• Some patients are authorized to carry amounts over 30g and must carry a registration document from a licensed producer or a registration certificate for personal production from Health Canad.

Additional travel Tips

• We recommend airtight containers or the original packaging when travelling with marijuana as this helps eliminate any smell or odour.
• There are liquid limits of 100ml as per CATSA liquid restrictions. If you are travelling with cannabis oils be mindful of the size of your containers.
• To prevent your dried flowers from going bad, keep your cannabis dry and stored in a dark and cool place.