Maximum Yield Cannabis USA October/November 2018 | Page 46

DRIVING
As with flying, driving across state borders with canna-
bis is federally illegal. On your highway journey, you may
encounter agricultural checkpoints and local law enforce-
ment. Agents in the former are looking for invasive plants
and animals, and like TSA officers, they turn over any bud
found in your car to local law enforcement. Just like in
airports, you are subject to the laws of that state regard-
less of your prescription or home state laws. Whether you
can continue your journey with or without your bud is at the
discretion of law enforcement.
MEDICAL MARIJUANA PATIENTS
“THE TSA (A FEDERAL AGENCY)
MAKES IT CLEAR THAT IT IS ILLEGAL
TO CROSS BORDERS WITH
CANNABIS, EVEN
IF YOU HAVE
A MEDICAL
PRESCRIPTION
OR ARE FLYING
BETWEEN
LEGAL STATES.”
Preparing to travel as an MMJ patient raises many
questions. Will your prescription be valid in another
state? How much can you carry? Will you have access to
concentrates, edibles, or flowers, and is that cannabis
medical-grade? What documentation should you bring?
Currently, 30 states and the District of Columbia allow
medical marijuana. However, each state has its own unique
laws that patients must follow. Laws can even change from
county to county. In the span of a few miles, you can travel
between a cannabis-friendly town where you can medicate
freely, then find yourself in a dry county where you could be
prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
If traveling within your state, bring your medical
marijuana card, your doctor’s recommendation, photo ID,
and any other supporting documents. Bring the originals if
possible and carry them with you and your stash.
If traveling out of state, do your research. Call
dispensaries within your destination state to see
if they can honor your medical card. If they can’t and
you must register within your destination state before
you can access any medical marijuana, plan to bring
documentation from your doctor supporting your medical
claim. Dispensaries are also excellent resources on the local
vibe concerning cannabis. Another great resource for this is
norml.org and your destination state’s official website.
CONSUMPTION
When you finally make it to your destination and get your
hands on some ganja, there are a few things to know before
you light up. First, all legal recreational and medical
marijuana states prohibit cannabis consumption in public
locations. This means everywhere other than private
property. If you’re couch surfing with family or friends,
great. If you’re staying in hotels, this can be a frustrating
experience. Smoke up and you risk fines, being kicked
out, or having the hotel call law enforcement.
Things are changing, though. Some hotels in legal
states now allow smoking in their rooms, though many
only offer this service through cannabis tour operators.
There are also 420-friendly Airbnb rentals as the company
doesn’t have a policy against the use and/or consumption
of marijuana. To find these listings, apply the “smoking
allowed” search filter and individually enquire if the
property description doesn’t spell it out.
If there are no cannabis-friendly hotels or Airbnb rentals
near your destination, try a marijuana social lounge. These
spaces, which are often concentrated within metropolitan
areas, allow ganja lovers a chance to inhale and relax while
socializing with other 420 fans. Many also host game and
movie nights and sports viewing events.
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