Pot On A Plane

Airport security is renowned for having strict rules and unbending restrictions regarding what passengers can carry. That's why it came as a surprise to some to hear that the Portland airport was relaxing its drug policies and allowing travelers to carry legal amounts of the drug on inter-Oregon flights.

Relaxed Rules

The new rules reflect Oregon's recent policy shift to allow recreational marijuana. Although the drug has only been legal in the state for just over a week, the airport is hoping to clear up any confusion about the drug by creating new, simple rules governing passengers carrying marijuana.

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Marijuana Possession

Marijuana is only legal for those traveling from one destination in Oregon to another, as the transport of cannabis products across state lines is still illegal. That means that even passengers who are flying from Oregon to another state where the drug is legal, like Colorado, are not allowed to have marijuana. If airport officials discover that a passenger is carrying cannabis, they will notify the Port Police, who will evaluate how much of the drug the person is carrying and where they are going before determining whether or not the passenger can continue traveling.

Conflicting Laws

Since the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is governed by Federal laws, which still classify marijuana as a criminal substance, the relaxed rules came as a surprise to many. However, TSA officials say their primary job is to protect aviation from any viable threats. As marijuana is not considered a major threat, the TSA says it would be counter-productive to try to limit its transport within states where it is legal.