TSA says medical marijuana allowed in bags

The Transportation Security Administration updated its “What Can I Bring?” guidance on April 27 to say medical marijuana is permitted in both carry-on and checked bags. The agency’s website says the item is allowed with “special instructions,” while adding that screening officers do not search for illegal drugs and will refer suspected illegal substances or other evidence of criminal activity to law enforcement if they are discovered during screening. The change drew attention this week after The Denver Post reported it on May 21. The practical effect is narrower than a blanket green light: TSA sets checkpoint screening rules, but airports and local jurisdictions can still enforce their own restrictions. ### What exactly did TSA change? The TSA medical marijuana page now lists the item as allowed in both carry-on and checked baggage, each with “special instructions.” The page was last updated on April 27, 2026, according to the agency’s website. (tsa.gov) The same page says TSA screening is focused on threats to aviation and passengers, not drug searches. (tsa.gov) It also says “the final decision rests with the TSA officer” on whether an item is allowed through the checkpoint. ### Does that mean travelers can bring marijuana through any airport? Denver International Airport still maintains its own rules. (tsa.gov) The airport’s rules-and-regulations page says Denver’s municipal airport system is governed by its own formal regulations under city ordinance, separate from TSA screening guidance. The Denver Post reported that Denver International Airport continues to prohibit all marijuana, including medical marijuana, on airport property. (tsa.gov) That means a traveler could be looking at one rule from TSA for screening and another from the airport they are using. ### What happens if a screener finds marijuana anyway? TSA says officers do not search for illegal drugs. (flydenver.com) But the agency also says that if an illegal substance or evidence of criminal activity is discovered during screening, officers will refer the matter to a law enforcement officer. That leaves discretion with individual officers at the checkpoint. (tsa.gov) TSA’s page does not say possession is immune from police referral; it says the item may be allowed, but screening staff can still escalate a case if they believe law enforcement involvement is required. ### Why is this still confusing for travelers? Federal, airport and local rules do not always line up. (tsa.gov) TSA controls security screening, while airports can impose property rules and police agencies can enforce local law. Denver’s airport is one example where airport policy remains stricter than TSA’s current website guidance. The TSA page also uses the phrase “special instructions” without laying out a broad nationwide exemption beyond the item listing itself. (tsa.gov) That makes airport-by-airport checking important before a passenger packs medical marijuana in either a carry-on or checked bag. ### What should travelers check before they fly? TSA’s current website guidance is the starting point, not the only rule that matters. (flydenver.com) Travelers should review the airport’s own regulations, any relevant local law and airline requirements before heading to the checkpoint. Denver International Airport’s rules page remains available on the airport website, and TSA’s “Medical Marijuana” entry remains live on the agency’s “What Can I Bring?” database as of May 22. (tsa.gov)