Your favorite Baltimore Criminal Lawyer is thrilled to have a highly informative and relevant guest post from Vincent Imhoff, Esq. Shortly after he penned this article, Maryland medical marijuana laws changed. Becoming one of the States which permits Medical Marijuana.
However, if you’ve been keeping up with our postings on the Maryland General Assembly session, you know that it’s going to take some time to enact the legislation.
Traveling Between States with Medical Marijuana
For medical marijuana patients, knowing where you can and can’t go with your prescription medication can be confusing. Especially when pertaining to interstate travel.
If you’re not careful, traveling into a state that doesn’t recognize the medical use of marijuana or traveling to a state that lacks a reciprocity agreement with other states can get you arrested.
To add to the confusion and frustration, since medical marijuana isn’t legal on the federal level, interstate travel can mean federal charges, such as drug trafficking.
If you live, work, and commute in one of the 19 states and the District of Colombia, traveling within that state isn’t a problem. Within the legal prescribed limit. However, you may need to go elsewhere and your medicine is necessary to relieve symptoms of your condition. In this case, your options can be limited or nonexistent depending on the state.
According to LawInfo,
“Some states honor medical marijuana prescriptions obtained in other states, but this does not provide for transporting marijuana across state lines.”
Adding to the challenge, few states border other states where medical marijuana is legal or possession is decriminalized.
Can You Fly with Medical Marijuanas?
Flying with medical marijuana may be out of the question. Federal law supersedes state law. Federal law prohibits the use, cultivation, transportation, and selling of marijuana.
The United Patients Group, states that
“if you choose to travel by plane with medical marijuana, you risk being detained, arrested and prosecuted under federal law even if the state you are departing from allows you to possess and use marijuana legally.”
As such, it can be especially risky for patients to carry medical marijuana on flights. Since airports, and by extension, aircraft, are federally regulated zones.
Flying from one state where medical marijuana is legal to another, such as Los Angeles, Calif. to Boston, Mass. is a hazy area. Transportation Security Administration agents may actively flag marijuana and marijuana-based material and pull you aside for further investigation.
This may result in a number of things. From confiscation of your medication to the involvement of local authorities, or it may escalate to federal intervention. This depends on the circumstances. Which may depend on:
- the amount of medical marijuana
- type
- other associated paraphernalia
Planning on Traveling with Medical Marijuanas
Do research giving yourself ample time before your trip. Regardless of if you’re traveling with medical marijuanas by ground or air. If necessary get in touch with a marijuana crimes lawyer or other marijuana legal expert. On top of that, always carry your valid and fully registered Medical Marijuana Identification Card (MMIC).
Make sure you have answers to your questions about the legality of transporting your medical marijuana across state lines. It can be nothing but beneficial to have as many facts, and the law, behind you. Should you find yourself in the eyes of local, state, or federal law.
States where medical marijuana is legal:
- Alaska
- Arizona
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Hawaii
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Montana
- Nevada
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- Oregon
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Washington
- Washington DC
- Maryland
About the Author
Vincent Imhoff is a writer and Los Angeles criminal lawyer who acts as a managing partner at Imhoff & Associates, P.C.
He earned his law degree at Chicago-Kent College and his undergraduate degree at Lewis University. When he isn’t writing or practicing, Vincent finds time to ski on his favorite slopes and get some jogging in.
