Guide to Travelling with CBD Oil

Brought to you by: Dragonfly CBD With many of us unable to travel in these challenging times, planning your next trip can be great to have something to look forward to. However, if you’ve heard about recent changes in CBD’s legal status abroad, you may be wondering if it’s ok to pack in your suitcase. It’s important that you know the laws of where you’re travelling to, otherwise you might run into some real trouble. In this article we’re going to answer your questions about the legality of travelling with CBD. This varies in different countries and on different modes of transport.

Legislation regarding CBD is changing constantly as CBD becomes more widely accepted worldwide! Due to the ever-changing nature of CBD laws across the globe, it’s best to double-check with an embassy official or customs agent for the country you’re travelling to.

Flying with CBD

Flying with CBD is legal for many tourist destinations. However, you should not travel with CBD Oil unless you are certain that the country, airport and airline are ok with this. If you’re planning on flying with your CBD Oil, it’s a good idea to check the laws in both the countries you’re flying from and to. If you’re unsure, potentially losing your CBD Oil or facing legal action is not worth it!

As countries have varying allowances for THC, you should only bring oils that are THC-free.

It’s also smart to only travel with those that have easily accessible lab reports. Dragonfly CBD Oil is completely THC-free, and we provide batch-specific lab reports for every product we sell.

Europe

In the UK, you’re allowed to travel with CBD Oils that meet the UK guidelines. This means that it must be derived from hemp, and contain under 1mg of controlled substances such as THC and CBN. To make sure you don’t run into trouble, make sure you have access to information such as lab reports. Just like any other liquid, if you’re taking CBD Oil in hand luggage this must be 100ml or under. This must be placed within a transparent resealable plastic bag. If you’re flying within the EU, currently most countries share the same broad regulations as the UK. This means that it’s ok to bring UK CBD Oil to Ireland, Belgium, Spain, The Netherlands, Italy, Poland, Switzerland, Greece, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Estonia, Romania, Croatia and Latvia with no extra documentation such as a prescription. Post-Brexit, the implications for travelling cannabinoid consumers are unclear and will be updated during the transition period. However, there are some exceptions to legality. For example, you can bring CBD Oil into Spain, but cannot buy it there. In Spain only topical CBD products are legal! CBD Oil is entirely illegal in Belarus, Armenia, Albania, Moldova, and Andorra. You should not travel with CBD Oil to these countries.

Asia

You cannot travel to most countries in the Middle East with CBD. The only exception to this is Israel, which requires a medical prescription. The UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office have warned against travelling with even CBD Skincare products. This is well justified, as in certain countries like the UAE having CBD in your bloodstream is illegal, and considered as drug possession! CBD is also illegal in Russia, which bans all products derived from cannabis. Whilst CBD oils are legal for sale in China, it is not advisable to bring them into the country. Elsewhere in Asia, Japan and Hong Kong allow CBD products, but they must not contain any traces of THC. In fact, the continent’s first CBD cafe was opened last year in Sheung Wan, Hong Kong. This represented a massive step forward for CBD enthusiasts in Asia! CBD Oils that are legal in the UK are also suitable for travel to India, under the NDPS Act. Africa

Most African countries have a ban on CBD, as well as all other cannabis extracts. The only exceptions to this are South Africa, albeit if products contain 0% THC. As the law is constantly changing, you should check with customs officials to see if this may have changed.

North America

Travelling to the US with CBD is very complex, due to the differences in cannabis laws between states. CBD is federally legal if it’s derived from hemp and contains under 0.2% of THC. However, individual states still retain the power to outlaw CBD. This has even resulted in passengers being placed under arrest and jailed for travelling with CBD! States that have a complete ban on CBD products include Iowa, South Dakota and Idaho. As each state has differing regulations relating to CBD, it’s best to check the laws of any state you’re travelling to.

Pic by: Ryan Lange

Under the Cannabis Act, CBD is also legal in Canada. You can also bring CBD Oil into Mexico and Jamaica. In most of the Caribbean CBD is still illegal as it is classified in the same group as cannabis. This includes islands such as Barbados, Grenada and Saint Lucia.

South America

Most countries in South America have legalized CBD, as long as it is derived from hemp. Brazil, Chile, Peru, Argentina and Paraguay have legalized using CBD medically. This means that you should travel with a doctor’s prescription, just in case.

You can’t travel with CBD Oil into Venezuela or Bolivia.

Australia

Unfortunately, you can only bring CBD oils into Australia if you have been prescribed them by a doctor. This means that over the counter products are not allowed. CBD Oil is allowed when travelling to New Zealand, so long as you have 3 months supply or less.

Travelling with CBD Oil by car, ferry, cruise and train

Travelling by car or train means that the same laws of the country apply. This applies even if you’re travelling cross-country to get to somewhere that CBD is legal. Whilst the risk of your car being stopped and searched is low, it isn’t worth the risk! It’s better to leave your CBD at home if you’re driving through a country where CBD is illegal or restricted.

You may have some problems when taking CBD Oil on board cruise ships. This is due to strict no-drug policies across cruise lines, classifying CBD the same as cannabis. It must be noted that CBD is not the same at all! Disney Cruise Lines, Carnival Cruise Lines and Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines all have an outright ban on CBD. You should check with your particular cruise or ferry operator before bringing your oil onboard!