TSA rule change lets you bring cannabis on a plane after Trump reclassifies plant

Americans are now able to bring medical cannabis on board internal flights, following a change in airport guidelines.

Over the past couple of months, the Trump administration has made several changes in the classification of cannabis, with prescriptions issued for medical reasons being recategorised from Schedule I to Schedule III.

While still illegal at a federal level, the reclassification allows the drug to be qualify for medical research and is in line with medicinal cannabis being legal in 40 US states and the District of Columbia.

The change in the law has now been reflected in whether passengers can carry weed on flights.

Can you bring cannabis on board US flights?

According to a quiet update in guidelines on the TSA website, passengers who have a medical marijuana prescription can carry the drug in both their hand luggage and checked bags.

The rule change comes after the Trump administration rescheduled medicinal cannabis (Getty Stock Images)

The guidelines, which were updated at the end of April, state that the role of the Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) is primarily to protect passengers from 'potential threats to aviation' and not to search for illegal drugs.

"TSA’s screening procedures are focused on security and are designed to detect potential threats to aviation and passengers," the update reads.

"Accordingly, TSA security officers do not search for illegal drugs, but if any illegal substance or evidence of criminal activity is discovered during security screening, TSA will refer the matter to a law enforcement officer."

It should be noted that this policy change strictly refers to medical marijuana only, meaning that anyone deciding to blaze it up at 35,000ft is very unlikely to make it onto their flight.

The page does not clarify how much medical marijuana a passenger is allowed to bring on the flight, as well as adding that a final decision on what is and isn't allowed on board the flight is down to the TSA officer on duty at the airport.

He's checking for security risks, not your stash (CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP via Getty Images)

Meanwhile, lawyers who previously discussed the topic of cannabis being brought on board aircraft previously revealed to SF GATE that passengers carrying smaller amounts are rarely prosecuted anyway.

"Airport law enforcement will be notified if marijuana is discovered by a TSA officer during the security screening process of carry-on and checked baggage," TSA spokesperson Lorie Dankers told the outlet.

"Law enforcement officials will determine whether to initiate a criminal investigation or what steps — if any — will be taken."

LADbible has approached TSA for additional comment.