Rules of Traveling with CBD and Delta 8

Who else is ready for a vacation? Ya, me too. Before you go, though, there are always SO MANY THINGS TO DO. The main thing that most people do before a vacation or any type of trip is to plan the trip. Even if you aren’t much of a planner, you’ll at least know where you are going and how you’re traveling. 

When you take a trip, you want to bring the things you need, right? Of course, you pack your toothbrush, floss, pain reliever, and the like without even thinking. You may even already have your travel size toothpaste, mouth wash, and contact lens solution (if you’re blind like me). You grab your CBD product, this is where you should stop and think before you just haphazardly toss it into your bag. The rules, laws, and regulations surrounding Cannabis, and anything related to Cannabis, are super fuzzy and always changing. They aren’t even uniform across the individual states in the U.S. 

There’s a lot to understand when it comes to traveling with CBD and a lot that is still to be determined in regulations all over the world. As things change and grow and become legal and illegal, it’s good to look to guides to help you on your [literal] journey. So, pack your bags, because in this article, we are going to walk you through how to be safe and smart while traveling with CBD, how products are best stored for traveling, what products will help ease your anxiety while traveling, and sometimes, when you just shouldn’t bring your CBD or Delta 8 products with you.

CBD vs. Delta 8 THC 

CBD and Delta 8 THC are two of the most commonly known cannabinoids. “Cannabinoids” refers to the many types of chemical compounds found in the hemp and marijuana plants. CBD and Delta 8 products all contain less than 0.3% Delta 9 THC making them federally legal, but each state is subject to different regulations under their own jurisdictions. 

Every product you buy should have a link to their lab results. If they don’t, you should consider purchasing a verified quality product. When you buy through our website, you shop with full confidence that any product you purchase will have a lab result attached to it. All of the products we sell are 100% verified by us and from trusted brands. If you do shop from our site and don’t see a lab result attached to the product, contact us through our Contact Form and we will either point you in the right direction or send you the lab results, personally. These can usually be found under the “Lab Results” tab.

CBD is strictly non-psychoactive, while Delta 8 products are more on the psychoactive side. If something is psychoactive it means it will get you "high" because the THC is attaching to receptors in your brain to create euphoria and other effects. To learn more about CBD and those products, you can visit our Education Center here. If you’d like to learn more about Delta 8, read our blog here. 

There are CBD oil and tincture products that do come in Broad Spectrum, Full Spectrum, and CBD Isolate. Some of these types of products will contain higher amounts of THC, but they are all still considered federally legal because they have less than 0.3% THC in them.

Getting to know your products is a really good and important thing to do, period. Knowing what products you use is obvious, but when you get to know more about them then that makes it easier when you want to travel and bring your trusted products with you. 

How to Travel With CBD: Top Two Questions to Ask Yourself

When deciding to travel with CBD, having a plan is the best way to not get flagged for having CBD or Delta 8 products with you. Your top 2 questions you should ask yourself are: 

1. Where are you going?
2. How are you getting there? 

Now, how are you getting there? What is your mode of transportation when it comes to your travel choices? This could make a big difference in what products you bring. 

Of course, your choice of transportation depends a little bit on what you are allowed to bring with you. How much you bring also depends on how you are getting to where you are going. Getting around by car or mass transit might make it easier for you to bring whatever (federally legal) products you choose. Not only are you not less susceptible to bag searches, but you don’t have to abide by how much you bring.

Traveling to other places in the United States with CBD or Delta 8 can be a little murky when you are looking at it from a legal perspective. Technically speaking, on the federal level CBD and Delta 8 are legal, each state is different in term though. When you know where you are traveling to, you will be able to look up that location’s specific rules. If you are flying to a state with strict rules about CBD or Delta 8 products, the best practice is to not bring those on a flight with you that will be landing there. If you are traveling by car, it is easier to transport your products to states with strict guidelines. Usually you just won’t be able to purchase those types of products in those states.

Currently, the TSA website states that, 

“Marijuana and certain cannabis infused products, including some Cannabidiol (CBD) oil, remain illegal under federal law except for products that contain no more than 0.3 percent THC on a dry weight basis or that are approved by FDA. (See the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, Pub. L. 115-334.)  TSA officers are required to report any suspected violations of law to local, state or federal authorities”

What does this mean? At the end of the day, this means you can bring your CBD and Delta 8 products with you as long as you abide by the liquid rules of flying (3.4oz <). This also means, though, that it is still possible that your TSA agent reports your products to law enforcement. The best way, it seems, if you want to bring your products with you, is to pack them in your bags that will be checked. 

Obviously, plane travel is going to be a bit stricter on any product you may be bringing on the flight. If you’re bringing CBD or Delta 8 in your carry on, it’s best to bring the lab results with you (or you can pull them up from our website, just make sure you take and save a screenshot in case you don’t have internet access).

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Laws & Regulations

As of 2018, CBD and Delta 8 are federally legal due to the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (Farm Bill). It is super important to note, though, that although CBD and Delta 8 are legal on the federal level, each state is subject to its own laws and restrictions. Laws on every level can change their particular stance on CBD and practically everything related to the Cannabis industry. Always remember to check laws on all of your health and wellness products before taking them on a trip, especially on planes.  

Storage

You’ve decided to bring CBD along and have checked all of the rules and regulations of the place you’re going to… okay, so what’s next? Making sure your product doesn’t leak all over your perfectly curated (or in my case, completely chaotic) luggage. 

If your CBD product is something that is easily separated, like gummies or capsules, then only bring what you need for the duration of your trip. Making sure to store them in an airtight container that isn’t accessible to the rest of the parties in your trip, particularly children and pets. For more tips on gummy storage, visit our blog here.  

When it comes to liquids or "melt-ables" that you can’t separate, like tinctures, oils, and topicals, always double bag them. These products can’t necessarily be separated into other containers, so creating multiple layers of protection between your liquid product and the rest of your luggage is the best bet. 

Domestic (US) vs. International Travel

Laws on CBD and Delta 8 are not universal, unfortunately, but not unpredictably. Traveling within the United States is going to be a lot less stressful if you want to take your CBD with you, but taking CBD and Delta 8 with you internationally is so confusing that it’s just best to leave your products at home.

Using CBD to Travel Comfortably

Traveling is fun, but pretty dang stressful. Using CBD or Delta 8 products for traveling is great for helping ease those anxious thoughts or even help you with the travel aches and pains. CBD and Delta 8 is great for: 

• Natural energy boost to jumpstart your adventure
• Ease sore muscles from cramped plane, car, or bus travel
• Reduce anxiety from packing, planning, driving, etc. 
• Reduce overall trip-stress
• Sleeping on planes, trains, boats, or new places

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Traveling With Pets

Bringing pets along on a trip, especially a vacation, can cause stress all around. Combating your stress and your pet’s stress is important for a relaxing vacation and a less hectic journey. CBD for pets is the perfect way to help ease those anxious behaviors your pet might have on a trip. There are also products that can help with their muscle and joint pains (and even seizures!) while they are cramped up in the car with you.

Check out our Honest Paws Review Blog where we reviewed all of our current Honest Paws products.

Final Tips & Tricks For Traveling With CBD

Whether you are flying, driving, taking the train, jet packing, or whatever, you should always check up-to-date information on your destination’s laws and regulations surrounding CBD, specifically your product. 

Here are your top tips for how to travel successfully with CBD and Delta 8:

• Pack ONLY what you need for the trip while abiding by the rules of whatever transportation you choose.
• Ensure your products are safe from leaking, spilling, melting, or becoming accessible to anyone other than yourself.
• Take CBD with you (if you can) for your pet. 
• Have a copy of the lab results for all your products, noting that the THC levels should be below 0.3%.
• For airplane travel, try to pack your products in your checked luggage.
• Best Pro Tip: STAY INFORMED on laws and regulations in your home area and at your destination. 

*This article was written in July of 2021. Please check your location’s and destination’s laws for more up-to-date information. 

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