Cannabis Will No Longer Be Seized At New York Airport
Due to NY recently legalizing recreational cannabis use, police say they will no longer make arrests or issue tickets for legal possession of cannabis for those traveling through any airport across the state; The statement comes after New York City legalized recreational cannabis.
Travelers Can Possess Up To 85 grams Of Cannabis
The federal security director for several airports, including the ones in New York city mentioned that cannabis is not something the officers are looking for anymore, claiming they just look for possible threats such as knives, guns, and explosives.
The patrol department of Albany International Airport said that they will no longer issue tickets to make an arrest if the traveler possesses less than the legal limit (85 grams) of cannabis, which is a drastic change, seeing that before legalization in NY, investigators made dozens of arrests per year for unlawful possession of cannabis. But, officers mentioned the TSA (transportation security administration) still has to notify law enforcement due to cannabis still being illegal under federal law.
The TSA Does Not Search For Cannabis
Despite having to notify local law enforcement, TSA officers emphasized that they do not search for cannabis, cannabis products, or other illegal substances because they are not law enforcement. The TSA explained that their procedures are focused on detecting potential threats and maintaining security, thus, if they were to find cannabis or a cannabis-derived product they will not confiscate it as long as it stays within the legal limit, but yet again, TSA officers say that they’re required to notify law enforcement even if the cannabis or cannabis product is for medical use.
