Our country is that country where you can buy CBD products in the middle of a shopping mall… but if you take them to the airport, you’re taking a risk, yep. The TSA has issued a warning that left a lot of people with a “wait, what?” face: if your CBD has more than 0.3% THC, forget about bringing it on the plane. And yes, this has made more than a few people angry.
They posted it on Facebook, as if it was no big deal, and of course, chaos followed. According to Forbes Health, 60% of Americans have tried CBD products, so it’s not something niche. A lot of people use it for pain, stress, anxiety… and now they find out their miracle little bottle might get confiscated at security.
What exactly did the TSA say
They post the warning on August 8, 2025, on the official TSA Facebook page. The message was:
“CBD remains illegal under federal law unless it contains no more than 0.3% THC. Our officers aren’t looking for your high heels, but they will refer any illegal drugs to law enforcement”.
So, it doesn’t matter if it’s fully legal in your state: if it goes over that 0.3% THC limit, it’s banned at the federal level and you can’t bring it on board.
But everyone uses it..
CBD comes from cannabis, yes, but it doesn’t get you high. It’s used to relieve pain, sleep better, calm anxiety, etc. Some products have traces of THC (the compound that does have a psychoactive effect), but others, like isolated CBD, have none.
The problem is that a lot of people already use it as part of their daily routine. And sure, being told suddenly that you can’t carry it in your luggage as if it were a weapon… well, that didn’t sit well.
Social media didn’t stay quiet
The TSA’s post got all kinds of comments, but most were negative. People don’t understand why they’re being so strict with something that doesn’t pose any danger to anyone. Some even accused the officers of trying to “show power” or “play hero” by calling the police over something that, in their state, you can buy at any pharmacy.
The usual mess: what’s legal in your state doesn’t fly at the airport
This problem comes from the difference between state laws and federal laws. In many states, you can buy CBD like it’s gum, but when you go through an airport and get on a plane, everything is under federal law. And for now, that law still considers any product with more than 0.3% THC illegal.
So yes, you can be perfectly within the law in your city and still get in trouble if you go through security with the wrong product.
What to do if you’re traveling with CBD
The recommendation is to check the label. If it says it has less than 0.3% THC, go ahead. If not, better leave it at home. And if you use isolated CBD (which has no THC), that’s the safest option to avoid any scares at the airport.
In short: watch what you pack
This new TSA warning once again puts on the table how complicated it is to move between state and federal laws in the U.S. Until the national rules change, travelers are going to have to be careful if they don’t want to end up with their bottle confiscated and their name in a police report.
And in the meantime, the debate is still on: does it make sense to treat CBD like a dangerous drug when millions of people use it daily to ease pain or insomnia? Well, it looks like that debate is going to stay open… at least for now.