TSA approves cannabis-containing epilepsy drug for flights

by Chris Mills Rodrigo - 05/27/19 6:05 PM ET

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will now permit a pediatric epilepsy drug containing cannabis on flights, according to the agency’s guidelines.

Its guidelines now say that, subject to “special instructions,” “products/medications that contain hemp-derived CBD or are approved by the FDA are legal as long as it is produced within the regulations defined by the law under the Agriculture Improvement Act 2018.”

{mosads}TSA confirmed the updated rules to Marijuana Moment, noting that “possession of marijuana and certain cannabis-infused products” remains illegal under federal law, but said the agency “was made aware of an FDA-approved drug that contains CBD oil for children who experience seizures from pediatric epilepsy.”

Cannabidiol, or CBD, is the non-psychoactive component of marijuana. It has been legal at the federal level since the passage of the farm bill in December, but only when it is extracted from hemp.

The anti-seizure medication in question, Epidiolex, has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

“To avoid confusion as to whether families can travel with this drug, TSA immediately updated TSA.gov once we became aware of the issue,” the agency told Marijuana Moment.

The TSA’s website notes that its security officers “do not search for marijuana or other illegal drugs, but if any illegal substance is discovered during security screening, TSA will refer the matter to a law enforcement officer.”

Tags Cannabis CBD medical marijuana