Troy Campbell, Community Correspondent
Published:
Troy Campbell, Community Correspondent
ORLANDO, Fla. – Passengers traveling through Orlando International Airport are reacting to a Transportation Security Administration policy that allows travelers to carry medical marijuana through airport security checkpoints under certain circumstances.
The policy marks a shift from long-standing federal restrictions that previously banned marijuana in airport security lines. However, authorities stress that state and local laws still apply.
Many travelers News 6 spoke with at Orlando International Airport said they were unaware of the policy change.
“I was just now hearing about it,” one passenger said. “I’m so glad they are because so many people actually need their medicine.”
Another traveler called the policy “great,” adding, “Everybody deserves to have their medicine with them no matter what it is.”
Back in April, the Trump administration moved to reclassify marijuana from a Schedule I drug to a less restrictive Schedule III drug after dozens of states, including Florida, approved medical marijuana programs.
Despite the change, some passengers said confusion remains over what is actually allowed.
“I was not aware,” one traveler said.
Another passenger added, “No one is talking about it yet.”
The TSA says its officers are not specifically searching for marijuana or other illegal drugs. Instead, agents are focused on identifying security threats to passengers and aircraft.
“They should be able to focus on that more,” one passenger said in support of the policy.
It remains unclear how TSA officers would verify whether a traveler has a valid medical marijuana license.
The Orlando Police Department told News 6 that if officers are called to a security checkpoint, they will “evaluate the circumstances and enforce applicable laws accordingly.”
Under the City of Orlando law, people without a medical marijuana license can face a $100 fine for possessing less than 20 grams of marijuana.
“I think marijuana in general in Florida is a gray area,” one passenger said. “Some people don’t care, some people do.”
The TSA says travelers should remember that local and state laws still apply, including in Florida, where marijuana possession is only legal for licensed medical marijuana patients.
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Troy is the Community Correspondent for Orlando in Orange County. He graduated from California State University Northridge with a Bachelor's Degree in Communication. He has reported on Mexican drug cartel violence on the El Paso/ Juarez border, nuclear testing facilities at the Idaho National Laboratory and severe Winter weather in Michigan.
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