If you’re fortunate enough to be taking a trip overseas sometime soon, then you may be keen to find out if it’s okay to travel with CBD.
While here in the UK you may freely use the popular food supplement to support a healthy lifestyle on a daily basis, the thought of disrupting your routine by getting stopped, searched, and having your CBD confiscated, may leave you feeling a little miffed to say the least.
To avoid such hiccups, we take a look and find out where around the world CBD is legal, where it is illegal, as well as all the grey areas in between. So, to cover everything, we begin with...
IS CBD LEGAL?
While CBD may be closely associated with the cannabis plant, CBD sold in the UK is actually sourced from the legal and highly useful hemp plant. A go-to food supplement for millions of consumers, if you already use it, you’ll know all too well that you are doing so within the letter of the law — that is, if you’re in the UK.
One of over a hundred known cannabinoids, CBD won’t get you high; however, it’s closely related cousin THC, known for its mind-altering effects, may well do. And that's where it gets tricky... THC is predominantly found in cannabis sativa and indica plants which are illegal. Still, tiny traces of that cannabinoid are known to occur in hemp plants too, which is where the importance of legality comes into play. CBD products sold in the UK must have a THC content of under 0.2%; in the US the number is under 0.3%; and across various countries in Europe, up to 0.6% is deemed legal.
Elsewhere in the world, the legal status of CBD differs. With many countries assessing their cannabis laws on an ongoing basis, the use of recreational and medicinal cannabis has become commonplace for many. And in these locations, the use of CBD is entirely legal and will not have any limitations on the percentage of cannabinoids found within them.
'But is CBD illegal anywhere?', we hear you ask. While CBD is not the same as cannabis, it’s mere association means that where the laws about cannabis appear particularly harsh, coupled with the lack of published research, the likelihood is that the country in question will take a pretty dim view of CBD products too. Various Arab states and countries within Asia can have particularly harsh drug laws, so unless you have some kind of medical authorisation to use those products, the advice is that you should leave your CBD at home.
CAN I TAKE CBD ON A PLANE?
The answer to this will, in this instance, depend on your destination. If you are travel with CBD by plane within the UK, then you will be able to carry your products with you in either your hand luggage or your main luggage. Since CBD oil is usually sold in bottles of 10ml or 15ml, you’ll entirely within the 100ml legal flying limit. But, as you won’t want to waste any of your product, we would advise that you travel with a sealed and unopened bottle to avoid any overzealous and suspicious security guards scrutinising and confiscating it. If you wish to use your CBD oil whilst on the flight itself, it’s recommended that you put it together with any other liquids in a see-through bag.
If you are travelling to a country where CBD is legal but have to stop-over in transit, in a country where it is illegal, we would recommend avoiding doing so and procuring some at your destination once there. Do your research before you embark on your journey and make sure you buy the best and most authentic CBD on arrival, and avoid purchasing a counterfeit product at your earliest convenience, which may be prone to causing you disappointment. For safety, Google your stop-off locations and destination, however, we'll try to cover a few popular spots below.
WHERE CAN I TRAVEL WITH CBD?
Travelling throughout Europe and the EU states will be the more accessible destinations to get to if you want to take your CBD e-liquids and oils with you. Commonly used throughout countries on the continent, as long as the CBD products that you decide to travel with are within the legal UK limit of 0.2% THC, consider your journey hassle-free.
If you think that you want to travel with CBD to countries where cannabis is legal or decriminalised such as Canada, Mexico, Jamaica, Argentina, Columbia or Uruguay — then sit back, relax and enjoy using your favourite CBD products without the fear of your items being confiscated at customs. With particularly relaxed laws regarding recreational cannabis, these often beautiful destinations can climb to the top of your list of places to travel with CBD.
Your holidays should be the epitome of a relaxing time; therefore, you should rest assured that your routine can remain on course as it would back home. If you want to go that extra mile, keep your receipt or invoice relating to your CBD products at hand with your other documents, and if you can, a certificate of analysis (but more on that later).
WHAT COUNTRIES SHOULD I NOT TRAVEL WITH CBD TO?
If the thought of spending your holiday without your favourite supplement is causing you any unwanted anxiety, finding out which countries CBD is illegal in should be high on the list of things to research.
As we’ve just mentioned, Arab states such as Dubai, Oman or Saudi Arabia, as well as Asian countries such as China, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, South Korea and Japan are all destinations that you should not travel to with CBD. With strict penalties and possible jail time at stake, taking CBD with you to these countries is simply not worth the risk.
While you may know that many states across the USA have legalised the use of cannabis either recreationally or medicinally, the fact is that under federal law, cannabis is still technically an illegal narcotic. To avoid being sent straight home, travelling with CBD to America is also not advised. What is recommended, is to go to a state such as Colorado where cannabis is recreationally legal and enjoy your holiday trying out some of the local CBD products available to you. Thankfully, many places within the States also sell CBD — so you can easily pick up some supplies whilst there.
BEST CBD PRODUCTS TO TRAVEL WITH
The good news is that as long as your CBD products are within legal limits and you are heading to a destination where CBD is legal, anyone of your preferred products will be okay to travel with. However, if you were heading out on a long haul flight and were keen to use CBD while on the plane, you should be cautious about what you use.
We all know that smoking is banned on aeroplanes, and the same goes for vaping too. If vaping is the way you consume the supplement, then perhaps it’s time to try some CBD alternatives. Buying some original blend CBD oil that you can place under your tongue or add to your inflight meal will be the best way to support your wellbeing while in the air.
Additionally, should flying cause you to become nervous, using CBD oil topically for a relaxing hand massage may just do the trick. Place a few drops on your hand, close your eyes and dream of the white sands that await you once you reach your destination.
WHAT IS A CBD CERTIFICATE OF ANALYSIS?
As mentioned above, a CBD certificate of analysis is a document that all reputable sellers should have to hand. Independently tested in a clean laboratory setting, the certificate details the percentage of cannabinoids found in your products. The content of these two cannabinoids should be hugely relevant to your CBD routine, and should you have a product that doesn’t align with the concentration of CBD you’ve been regularly taking; you may find your routine and expectation goes awry.
WHY IS A CERTIFICATE OF ANALYSIS IMPORTANT?
CBD is legal in the UK when the product in question contains no more than 0.2% THC. While you may be forgiven for thinking that all products available for purchase abide by this law, the reality is that CBD comes from a natural plant that may contain more or less THC than the legal limit allowed. It also means that the product might contain more or less CBD than that is advertised on the product. This means that you could purchase a CBD product in good faith that might have a small percentage of the CBD advertised and more THC than the legal limit.
Travelling with an authentic CBD product could be the difference between the vacation of your dreams or a holiday from hell. If a seller should be reluctant to hand over such information, alarm bells should be ringing, and you should probably be sourcing your CBD elsewhere. If questioned about the products you're carrying, you'll know that there's nothing wrong with your good — and nothing to worry about.
This blog serves to inform you about the current yet ever-evolving laws about the CBD industry. Without further ado, we would wholeheartedly urge you to check the CBD laws of the particular country you’re travelling to before getting into a sticky situation that you really hadn’t planned on getting into. Bon voyage.