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This page was last updated in November 2025. Please make sure to consult local ordinances and regulations to ensure you comply with the local laws and regulations.

I. INTRODUCTION

Even though most states permit the medical use of cannabis in some form, and many allow cannabis use for adults 21 and older, traveling remains a challenge for patients, especially for those who require uninterrupted access to cannabis treatments. Cannabis remains illegal at the federal level, and the rights and privileges for medical cannabis patients vary from state to state. Because cannabis products cannot be legally taken out of the state where they were purchased, patients who travel for work or pleasure must navigate the laws, regulations, and markets in unfamiliar jurisdictions.

Americans for Safe Access (ASA) is working to pass federal laws that would remove these state-by-state barriers for patients. Until we are successful in these efforts, we want patients who are traveling to safely reach their destination and access medical cannabis (if possible) when they arrive. ASA has created The Medical Cannabis Patient’s Guide for U.S. Travel to provide patients with the information to make informed decisions and evaluate risks when traveling.

If you believe that patients should have the right to medical cannabis no matter where they live or travel, please join ASA in our efforts by becoming a member or by signing up for updates and alerts.

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II. KNOW BEFORE YOU GO: HELPFUL TIPS FOR SAFE TRAVEL

Before traveling, it is important to familiarize yourself with the most up-to-date laws and regulations for the state(s) you will be visiting, your rights in general, and where to find the products you will need when you arrive.

TIPS FOR TRAVEL

  • Familiarize yourself with the most up-to-date laws and regulations for the state(s) you will be visiting. Some states require visiting patients to register up to 30 days in advance to receive protection and access to medical cannabis from dispensaries.
  • Familiarize yourself with laws and company rules around traveling with cannabis.
  • Maintain a current doctor's recommendation.
  • Thoroughly search all of your belongings for cannabis products to prevent surprises while traveling.
  • Always keep your medical cannabis ID card and/or a copy of your doctor’s recommendation current and on your person. Also, keep copies of your current doctor’s recommendation and/or a copy of your medical cannabis ID card in your luggage when traveling.
  • Contact the access outlets legally available to you before travel to determine where appropriate cultivars and products can be obtained.
  • Choose a medical cannabis business if possible. While some states that extend reciprocity to visiting medical cannabis patients may also have adult-use programs where patients can also purchase cannabis products, the adult-use outlets include higher sales tax, lower purchase limits, and may not have staff that can assist patients with their specific needs.
  • If traveling with CBD or hemp-derived cannabis products, bring documentation that supports their hemp origin.
  • At your destination, travel with cannabis products in the trunk of your car; the sight or odor of cannabis can trigger a DUI investigation. DUI penalties are steep and often hard to disprove.
  • The best law enforcement encounter is the one that you never have!

TRANSPORTING OR SHIPPING CANNABIS:

Cannabis products cannot legally be transported out of the state where they were obtained; traveling or shipping cannabis across state lines with any amount of cannabis is a federal crime, and several of the states with cannabis access laws have explicitly outlawed the importation and/or exportation of cannabis. While the probability of arrest by federal law enforcement officers may be low and federal prosecutions for possession are rare, transporting or shipping cannabis across state lines could trigger drug trafficking charges, which carry severe penalties: face up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for a first offense or double those amounts for a second offense.

SAFEGUARDING YOUR RIGHTS:

Even though your cannabis possession and consumption are legal under state law, you still have the right to be free of unlawful search and seizures. But the only way to maintain this right is to exercise it! A medical cannabis patient who has been stopped by the police should never give them permission to conduct a search. If officers try to search a patient’s car or belongings, the patient should loudly and clearly state: “I do not consent to a search.” This may not stop the police from conducting a search, but if the search is illegal, any evidence resulting from it may be inadmissible in court. If the search is consented to, any evidence it uncovers would be admissible. While patients should not consent to a search, they also should not physically resist officers in any way, even if the search is illegal. Doing so may result in charges of resisting arrest or assault on a police officer and/or may lead to the patient’s injury or death. If the police conduct a search over a patient’s objections, the patient should continue to state "I do not consent to this search" loudly enough for the officers and all witnesses to hear. (This does not apply to TSA for air travel.)

Information on rights as a patient, existing federal laws, avoiding law enforcement encounters, preparing for law enforcement encounters, and navigating the legal system after an encounter are available at https://www.safeaccessnow.org/knowing_your_rights.

 III. RECIPROCITY & VISITING MEDICAL CANNABIS PATIENT’S RIGHTS & PRIVILEGES

Medical cannabis programs in Arizona, Arkansas, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Nevada, South Dakota, & Rhode Island include reciprocity measures for visiting patients. Reciprocity refers to laws providing some measure of legal protection for non-resident medical cannabis patients and are especially important for traveling patients who are seeking specialty treatments outside of their home state, and patients who need to stay in the care of friends or family out of state.

The extent of the rights and privileges granted through these programs vary from state to state and require that patients at a minimum to bring documentation of their status in their home state’s program, such as their medical cannabis card when visiting.

  • Missouri, New Hampshire, & Arizona recognize patients right to possess but do not allow patients to utilize dispensaries to obtain cannabis when visiting.
  • The District of Columbia, Maine, Michigan, New Mexico, Nevada, & Rhode Island extend the full rights granted to resident patients including purchasing cannabis products from dispensaries with their resident state medical cannabis ID
  • Arkansas, Hawaii, Oklahoma, Mississippi, & South Dakota require visiting patients to register through the state cannabis regulatory authority before arriving which can take up to 30 days for approval. Approved patients will be granted full rights of the program including purchasing from cannabis products from dispensaries.

It is important for patients to know not only where and how they can legally access cannabis while traveling but also how much they possess and where they can legally consume. For more information on each state, links to registration programs, and lists of medical cannabis facilities, see the section “VISITING PATIENT ACCESS TO MEDICAL CANNABIS BY JURISDICTION”

IV. FINDING MEDICINE IN ADULT-USE MARKETS

Patients traveling to states that permit the adult-use of cannabis but do not extend reciprocity to non-resident patients may have to obtain cannabis from an adult-use retail outlet. Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota,  Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont & Washington allow anyone who is 21 & older with valid ID to legally possess, consume and purchase cannabis from licensed retailers. 

If you are planning to utilize these programs for accessing your medicine when traveling be advised:

  • There are no legal protections or access options for minors under these programs
  • While some adult-use retail centers cater more to patients than others, patients with specific needs should do research before traveling to find the products they need by contacting licensed retail outlets before arriving.
  • Every state has different possession and purchasing allowances.
  • Many states have specific regulations pertaining to where it is legal to consume cannabis.

 See “VISITING PATIENT ACCESS TO MEDICAL CANNABIS BY JURISDICTION” for lists of licensed facilities & rules & regulations by state

V. PRODUCT SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS

 Mold, E. Coli, Salmonella, & Aspergillus, as well as pesticides, heavy metals, residual solvents, additives, & adulterants, are commonly found in cannabis. These contaminants can have serious health impacts, particularly for individuals with compromised immune systems, pediatric patients, or elderly patients.

Cannabis products sold through licensed producers are subject to state regulations that safeguard patients to some extent. CBD & "Hemp-Derived" products sold in retail environments such as gas stations, corner stores, online, or even pharmacies have no regulatory oversight. Consumers should use caution before consuming products from these markets.

In some instances, online & retail stores selling cannabis products pose as state-licensed businesses. If you're uncertain about a store's legitimacy look it up with the state’s cannabis licensing authority by going to their websites or see VISITING PATIENT ACCESS TO MEDICAL CANNABIS BY JURISDICTION” for lists of licensed facilities by state.

Not all state product safety programs are equal. Patients accessing cannabis products in WA, OR, IL, MD, ME, MA, RI, & NJ, especially those patients with compromised immune systems or organ transplants should be aware that these states do not require testing for Aspergillus.

In addition, patients accessing medical cannabis edible products, especially multi-dose products should be aware that only AK, CA, CO, MD, ME, MI, MS, NM & NV require homogeneity testing. This means that products sold in other markets may have an uneven distribution of cannabinoids in multi-dose products causing a single dose to have a greater effect than is specified on the label.

Product safety testing and labeling requirements vary from state to state, and one state may have different testing requirements for adult-use and medical cannabis products. Appropriate certifications from an independent oversight body, such as ASA’s Patient Focused Certification, can help patients identify companies that voluntarily subject themselves to robust oversight and products that are well-made and accurately labeled. A list of PFC-certified companies is available at https://patientfocusedcertification.org/companies.

VI. PLANES, TRAINS, & AUTOMOBILES

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) allows the transport of prescribed, FDA-approved cannabis products (e.g. Epidiolex) as well as the transport of CBD products manufactured pursuant to the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, which is also known as the 2018 Farm Bill. Products that fall into the latter category must be made from industrial hemp, which cannot contain more than 0.3% tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). ASA strongly encourages patients to avoid flying with cannabis-derived products that were not made from industrial hemp unless they have a prescription for an FDA-approved product. Update 2025: TSA bans vaping devices in checked luggage: See TSA for Special Instructions

The TSA’s screening procedures are focused on detecting security threats to aviation and passengers. While TSA agents do not actively search for cannabis or other drugs, they are required to report the discovery of such substances to law enforcement.1 Some major airports have cannabis “amnesty boxes” where patients can dispose of any cannabis remaining in their possession before boarding their flights. In the absence of such amnesty boxes, patients may wish to discreetly dispose of any remaining cannabis in a trash can before undergoing security screening.

Some airlines, including Delta and American, have created specific policies prohibiting the transport of cannabis on their aircraft while acknowledging that a growing number of states have legalized cannabis for medical and/or recreational use.2,3 Patients may wish to check their airlines’ baggage policies for any cannabis-specific information.

Operators of other popular forms of transportation have also created restrictive policies regarding cannabis. Amtrak bans “the use or transportation of marijuana in any form for any purpose… even in states or countries where recreational use is legal or permitted medically.”4 Greyhound’s policy prohibits “alcohol, drugs, or weapons anywhere on the bus (including in your checked baggage).”5 Patients should check their carriers’ policies for more information.

Popular ridesharing companies safeguard themselves in fine print, for example, Uber states that using its app “to commit any crime - such as transporting drugs… or to violate any other law is strictly prohibited.  It is important to remember that rideshare drivers are using their personal vehicles and that some may object to the smell of cannabis in their car. To be respectful of the driver and his or her vehicle, patients are encouraged to explore scent-reducing or eliminating storage and transportation solutions.

Patients should never drive under the influence of any substance that may negatively impact their driving ability, including cannabis. Patients who intend to drive while in possession of cannabis should make sure their vehicle registration, driver’s license, and license plates are unexpired, that all lights (including turn signals) are operational, and should observe basic rules of the road when driving to minimize the potential for interaction with law enforcement. When driving, patients should keep cannabis locked in the trunk. In some states where cannabis is legal, driving with cannabis that is stored anywhere other than in the trunk - including in a locked glove compartment - is illegal.

VII. VISITING PATIENT ACCESS TO MEDICAL CANNABIS BY JURISDICTION

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO: CANNABIS PROGRAMS STATE-BY-STATE

  • Links to applications for visiting medical patients where required.
  • Possession and purchase limits for each state.
  • Where cannabis can be legally consumed.
  • Licensed cannabis facilities by state.

NOTE: If you find conflicting information, please contact us at [email protected]. 

Click Here for State-by-State Program Information

Haga Clic Aquí para Información Programas de Cannabis Estado por Estado

VIII. SPECIAL UPDATES & TRAVEL WARNINGS 

Special Update: TSA bans vaping devices in checked luggage: See TSA for Special Instructions.

WARNING: On September 30th, 2025, the Department of Justice issued a memo to U.S. Attorneys instructing agencies to rigorously prosecute marijuana offenses occurring on federal land, such as national parks.

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Actualización especial: La TSA prohíbe los dispositivos de vapeo en el equipaje facturado.Consulte las directrices especiales de la TSA.

ADVERTENCIA: El 30 de septiembre de 2025, el Departamento de Justicia emitió un memorando a los fiscales estadounidenses en el que instruyó a las agencias a perseguir con rigor los delitos relacionados con la marihuana que se produzcan en terrenos federales, como los parques nacionales.

FIGHTING FOR THE DAY PATIENTS CAN TRAVEL WITHOUT FEAR

At Americans for Safe Access (ASA), we are fighting for the day when patients will no longer have to worry about traveling with their medicine. Until that day comes, we will continue to provide resources like the Medical Cannabis Patient’s Guide for U.S. Travel—while working to fully integrate cannabis into U.S. healthcare.

We can only do this with your support. Your donation ensures patients have the tools they need today and the protections they deserve tomorrow.

Donate today!

DISCLAIMER: The content of this publication is provided for reference and educational purposes only. It is not intended to substitute professional legal advice. Laws, regulations, and scientific knowledge concerning cannabis are constantly changing; Americans for Safe Access makes every effort to provide accurate and timely information, but makes no guarantee in this regard. 

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