CBD offers a wide variety of benefits that you would think would make it a must-have for traveling. Not only can it help reduce anxiety, but its ability to help you sleep can make long travel a breeze, not to mention help you fight off jet lag. From the outside, having CBD on you while you travel seems like a no-brainer, right?

Unfortunately, CBD has a complicated history that makes traveling from one area to another with anything containing CBD an issue. We’ve gone ahead and researched so you can know what to expect when traveling with CBD oil, especially internationally or across state lines.

Traveling with CBD at a Glance

In general, the answer to “can you travel internationally with CBD oil” is that it depends. Several factors can contribute to the legality of CBD oil while traveling, including where you are going, where you are coming from, what way you are traveling, and if you purchased the CBD abroad.

The form your CBD oil is in can also impact whether or not you’re allowed to travel with it. It is always a good idea to do your research before packing for your trip, as nobody wants to get stopped by customs, or end up held up by a debate over fluid ounces in your carry-on, especially when you were looking to reduce your overall anxiety!

Traveling through the United States

As a whole, CBD is not considered a controlled substance in the United States. Federal law allows the products to be sold and used through retail locations, meaning you’re not going to run into federal trouble for possession. However, due to the complexity of the state governance structure in the United States, each state has its laws about CBD, meaning each case is highly individualized.

It’s a good idea to research any states you will be stopping in or driving through on your journey before bringing your CBD oil with you. A quick cross-over of a state line may get you in trouble when it comes to CBD, so be sure to plan your route and keep track of local regulations as you travel.

Besides simply worrying about possession of CBD, there are also separate restrictions depending on how you are traveling, which we will get into in the upcoming sections.

Driving

Driving is one of the simpler methods of travel for most United States residents, and in most cases, it is highly unlikely you’ll have your car searched so long as you are not crossing an international border. It is also very rare for anyone to confiscate CBD oil, as it is not a psychoactive nor controlled substance. However, it’s always a good idea to research local laws before planning your next road trip, and be aware that if you’re traveling across several borders, it may be a good idea to just leave the CBD oil at home to streamline the search process.

Riding on a Train

Riding on a train is in some ways easier than driving when it comes to CBD possession. So long as your CBD oil has the legal levels of cannabinoids in it, you should be free and clear. Keep in mind, of course, that traveling internationally or crossing borders may cause complications, so be sure to trace your route before deciding to bring this helpful anti-anxiety and sleep aid with you.

Flying

One of the main things to worry about when flying with CBD oil is that the contents may appear like an illegal substance when in reality it is perfectly benign. Anyone who has gone through the ordeal of dealing with TSA knows that a misplaced perfume bottle can cause unwanted delays to your flight, let alone a bottle of CBD oil. In most cases, TSA is not looking for CBD oil, and you’re unlikely to get in trouble with local law enforcement, but this all depends on the state or province you are in, and whether or not you are going on an international flight.

Another thing to keep in mind outside of legality is that many flights have restrictions on the number of fluids you can have in your carry-on bags. While these limits don’t apply to medicinal products, CBD is on the line between medicinal and supplemental, meaning you may run into issues with larger liquid containers of CBD oil. If you are unsure if your CBD oil meets the size requirements for your carry-on, err on the side of a smaller container. That way, if you end up being asked to dispose of your CBD oil, you’re not losing a larger bottle.

What Countries Allow CBD?

Thankfully, with CBD oil becoming more popular, many tourist locations allow for the transport and possession of CBD oil, as well as selling it within their borders. However, you should research anywhere you’re visiting for restrictions, cannabinoid limits, and dosage amounts before jumping on the next flight to paradise.

While we can’t go over every country in the world you may want to visit, we’ve looked into some of the more popular ones, so you can be aware of what you’re getting into when you travel:

• Australia allows for medicinal CBD, however, their laws are more strict than in other areas, so you may be better served to buy CBD when you arrive, rather than bring it with you.
• Brazil is a huge CBD market, however, be aware that it must have a cannabinoid percentage under 0.2% to be considered legal.
• Canada allows for CBD across the many provinces, however, be sure to follow local limits, laws, and guidelines when traveling throughout the country.
• Columbia allows for CBD products that contain less than 1% THC by dry weight, meaning that CBD products are good to go in this country.
• Costa Rica has a 0.3% THC limit for any CBD oils, supplements, or products, making them a bit laxer than Brazil, though not by much.
• France does not allow CBD at all, meaning that CBD isolates may be the way to go over oils.
• Germany is similar to Brazil in that it requires less than 0.2% THC.
• India allows traveling with CBD oil, and also offers CBD products for purchase, depending on where you are traveling.
• Mexico does allow you to travel across borders with CBD, but each product must have a label stating that the CBD is hemp derived.
• The Netherland is incredibly strict with THC percentages, requiring 0.05% THC for a product to be brought into the country.
• South Korea does not allow CBD brought into the country unless there is medical documentation to support the product, and the product cannot be used recreationally.
• Thailand requires medical permission to travel with CBD with a maximum supply of 30 days.
• United Kingdom allows for CBD products with less than 0.2% THC.

Where Shouldn’t You Travel with CBD?

The default answer, of course, is don’t travel anywhere with CBD where possession is illegal. Places like Dubai, Oman, Japan, and Russia all have strong legislation against CBD, while most of Africa has no on the books laws about CBD oil, so it’s best to play it safe and avoid bringing CBD to these areas of the world. When in doubt, don’t bring it.

Can I Bring CBD Back to the USA?

While you can legally bring hemp-derived CBD back to the United States so long as it has a THC of under 0.3%, it’s very unlikely that you’ll be allowed through customs with unknown items, and in general, it’s best to avoid a potential marijuana-derived CBD charge. While you may find the perfect CBD product abroad, unfortunately, CBD is probably best purchased on your home turf where you can be sure that the product follows local and federal guidelines.

What CBD Products Should I Travel With?

CBD with clear labeling of THC content, as well as recognizable brand labels is ideal for traveling. If you are concerned about liquid contents for flights, try CBD gummies, CBD capsules, or even CBD creams, though be aware that some topical creams will count toward your fluid limits when flying.