You can now fly out of Los Angeles International Airport with marijuana
Los Angeles International Airport — aka LAX — announced on Thursday that travelers are now allowed to pack marijuana with other travel essentials when flying out of the airport.
“While federal law prohibits the possession of marijuana (inclusive of federal airspace), California’s passage of Proposition 64, effective Jan. 1, 2018, allows for individuals 21 years of age or older to possess up to 28.5 grams of marijuana and 8 grams of concentrated marijuana for personal consumption,” the famous airport said in a statement. “In accordance with Proposition 64, the Los Angeles Airport Police Department will allow passengers to travel through LAX with up to 28.5 grams of marijuana and 8 grams of concentrated marijuana.”
It’s great news for marijuana users but LAX did caution passengers that marijuana laws vary from state to state, so they are “encouraged to check the laws of the states in which they plan to travel.” Also important: If you are traveling from California, packing an illegal amount of marijuana — more than 1 ounce — will get you stopped by security.
The move is a result of California voters passing Proposition 64 (the Adult Use of Marijuana Act) in November 2016. The law allows California citizens who are at least 21 years old to legally have an ounce of marijuana, as well as the right to grow up to six marijuana plants themselves.
People took to Twitter to share their reactions to the news, with many of them sharing @wolfiecomedy‘s sentiments: “The Mile High Club is real. What a time to be alive.”
You can now bring weed thru LAX. The Mile High Club is real. What a time to be alive. pic.twitter.com/PHsoBAIDNs
— Rachel Wolfson (@wolfiecomedy) September 26, 2018
Twitter user @juddweiss shared in the enthusiasm, saying, “LAX airport just updated their policy to explicitly allow us to travel with cannabis. We’re living in a new world.”
LAX airport just updated their policy to explicitly allow us to travel with cannabis. We're living in a new world 😲🔥 pic.twitter.com/gaojZbEic4
— Judd Weiss (@juddweiss) September 26, 2018
But not everyone was pleased with the news. One traveler told LA’s KNBC-TV, “Well, why do we need to transfer marijuana from one place to another?”
Other travelers were just glad they can now start doing what they were already doing, but legally. Twitter user @MaMiizBoSS wrote, “So they start letting you fly thru LAX with weed the weekend after I come back? SMH no worries I did it anyway!”
So they start letting you fly thru LAX with weed the weekend after i come back? Smh no worries i did it anyway!
— .*Griselda Blanco. ♚🏁 (@MaMiizBoSS) September 28, 2018
The U.S. federal government still considers marijuana illegal, but the sale and recreational consumption of the drug is legal in California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont, Washington and Washington, D.C. Canada also recently legalized marijuana.
So there are still plenty of states to which it could be dicey to travel with the substance.
Where do you come down on the repeal of marijuana prohibition laws?