Traveling with a vaporizer can be either a walk in the park, literally, or a total nightmare. Knowing how, where, and even when to travel with a vape is crucial to staying out of trouble. The laws surrounding travel by car are different from those in an airplane when it comes to vaporizers. This article will outline and detail all you need to know about traveling with your vape.
Traveling by Foot
If we are being honest here, most people are using their vapes for cannabis products. This makes the issue a bit blurry when it comes to knowing how and where you are allowed to use a vape. For others, vaping with e-juice still holds limits in certain settings. Much like indoor smoking bans, vaping indoors is not favored by some people.
Out in public, you are free to walk on a sidewalk or public easement with no restrictions to vape usage. When it comes to cannabis, however, some states have regulations in place that strictly forbid vaping or smoking cannabis anywhere but your own home for medical usage. In states that have legalized cannabis for adults recreationally, the laws may differ.
Some parks and public spaces either allow or restrict cannabis products based on whether children may be present. Public nuisance laws also chime in on whether you are allowed to sit somewhere public just for the purpose of getting stoned. In any case, traveling by foot with a vape is the easiest and most tolerated.
Traveling by Car
Much like traveling on foot, your car is an extension of yourself in where you can go. If you plan to stay within state or county lines, then you should be safe. Care must be taken to know and understand the laws thoroughly in your jurisdiction. If you plan on traveling by car out of state, you need to know whether or not you can have your vape on you.
Again, this is especially true if your vape has some form of cannabis or extract in it, otherwise you are usually free to go about your travel with no hitch. Cannabis products can be detected by smell through a vape, so it would be wise to know the laws and travel by car where it is safe while carrying your vape pen.
If possible, when crossing borders, keep your vape either in your pocket or glove box to avoid it being seen out in the open. Limit your vape sessions for after you have safely crossed into another territory or jurisdiction. Do not break the law, and do not try to sneak your vape in places where they are not allowed. If you get caught, it simply will not be worth it.
Traveling by Plane
Of all methods of travel, taking a vape by plane is perhaps the riskiest. Not only are there more barriers and restrictions in place when it comes to vapes and vaping products directly, but there are also rules and technicalities that may be unrealized until it is too late. Innocently taking your cannabis medicine in your luggage bag may get you kicked off a plane or even land you in jail!
The best way to travel with a vape on a plane is to ensure you have absolutely no cannabis products or even residue is in the vape whatsoever. Some items like e-juice may also be restricted depending on TSA guidelines and policies. Since these change every so often, it is wise to keep up with them and know the rules.
If you are allowed to travel with your vapes, always keep them in separate pieces and always inside your luggage or carry-on bag. If you have them in your pocket, you will have to remove them and pass right through TSA checkpoints in which they may confiscate your vape. The best way to travel with a vape by plane is to have an empty one and simply buy your refills wherever you land.
Knowing the Laws
Cannabis is gaining widespread acceptance every year. Most states have some sort of regulations in place specifically for cannabis usage among adults. If you are fortunate enough to live in a state that supports medical or recreational cannabis, then you would be wise to know and fully understand the laws surrounding its travel by all three modalities.
The reason why planes are so restrictive is due to technicalities. If you live in California where cannabis is legal and fly over to Florida, you cross a few states that do not allow for travel with cannabis products. This would technically make you a felon and the flight company an accessory to a crime.
While the laws surrounding cannabis restriction are truly stupid and draconian, they do carry a lot of weight, unfortunately. It is simply not worth the risk, especially nowadays where cannabis can be acquired easily in almost every state. Even if you live in a state that allows for cannabis, there are still restricted places that can land you in trouble if you are not careful.
Final Thoughts
If you are going to travel with your vape pen, do your best to keep it short distances and travel by foot or even by bicycle if possible. It should be noted that some jurisdictions treat bikes the same way they do cars, so always be mindful about that. The best thing you can do while traveling with a vape is to know all the laws beforehand, especially the policies at certain venues.
Traveling unimpeded by law enforcement or checkpoints is every American’s Constitutional right, though unfortunately, we live in a time where these rights are trampled every day. In the case of traveling with your vape, it is highly recommended that you have a good lawyer just in case you find yourself in an unjust situation regarding your cannabis or vape usage in a certain spot.
Traveling with your vape can be a simple and incident-free experience if you know what you are doing. Always stay on the right side of the law and be prepared to defend yourself against unjust searches and seizures through the law. That is the best way to travel anywhere with your vaporizer.