Even though there is less of a chance of getting caught than flying with weed, it is still illegal to fly with marijuana seeds in the U.S.

People have flown with cannabis seeds before and have not been caught by using a variety of little tricks like putting the seeds inside trail mix or rolling them inside their socks.

Nevertheless, flying with cannabis seeds is still illegal, so it isn’t something that we would recommend.

Marijuana Seeds & International Flights

If you thought that flying domestically with marijuana seeds would be a bad idea, then doing so internationally would be even worse.

Even in countries where the laws surrounding weed are either very relaxed or where weed is legal, such as Canada, it would be illegal to take any amount of weed across the border (either entering or exiting).

Flying internationally to Canada with marijuana seeds or another country (depending on the country) may not necessarily be as bad or high risk as flying with weed, but it will still land you in hot water if you get caught.

In any case, flying with any kinds of seeds back to the U.S., cannabis seeds or not, would still be difficult due to the policies of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

They state that any seeds you may want to bring back must the following conditions:

  • The seeds are not otherwise prohibited, protected under the Endangered Species Act or Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, or subject to any special restrictions, such as post-entry quarantine or treatment.
  • You have a phytosanitary certificate issued by the National Plant Protection Organization of the country you are leaving indicating the seeds are free of pests and diseases.
  • U.S. Customs and Border Protection inspects the seeds at the first port of entry and determines they are free of pests and diseases and meet all entry requirements

Consequences if the TSA Finds Marijuana Seeds

The TSA state that:

“TSA’s screening procedures are focused on security and are designed to detect potential threats to aviation and passengers.

Accordingly, TSA 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.”

Simply put, TSA agents aren’t actively looking for marijuana or marijuana seeds, but if they find that you are attempting to travel with them, they have the responsibility to report you.

Dogs Might Be Able to Smell Marijuana Seeds

There seems to be a debate whether dogs can smell marijuana seeds or not.

There was a report that a German shepherd that spent eight years detecting drug smugglers at airports was able to “smell a marijuana seed from up to 15 feet away.”

Others claim that sniffer dogs are unable to smell cannabis seeds and distinguish them from other types of seeds.

The only way a dog would be able to sniff out a marijuana seed would be if the seeds were fresh from the plant and had resin or plant matter still attached to it.

Airport Scanners Can Detect Seeds

Airport scanners are able to detect seeds because they are organic matter.

Organic matter comes up as orange on airport scanners.

What About Weed?

Flying with weed is definitely a no-go.

Weed is illegal on a federal level. So with airports and airplanes operating under federal jurisdiction, this means that you aren’t allowed to bring weed on a plane.

Not Even If You Have a Medical Marijuana Card

Even if you have a medical marijuana card, it would still be illegal to fly with weed.

The only exception is FDA-approved medical marijuana, such as Epidiolex, which is legal to bring on a plane.

Not Even If You Fly Between Two States Where Weed is Legal

Once again, as weed is illegal on a federal level, it makes no difference if you are flying between two states where weed is legal.

The consequences of being caught may arguably not be as severe compared to flying between states where weed is illegal, but it would still be a punishable offense.

What About CBD Products?

You can bring some CBD products on a plane, but probably not the ones you want to bring.

Unless the CBD product “contains no more than 0.3 percent THC on a dry weight basis or is approved by FDA”, it is illegal to fly with CBD.

Ella Dunham, a Freelance Travel Journalist and Marketing Manager, boasts an impressive career spanning eight years in the travel and tourism sectors.

Honored as one of "30 Under 30" by TTG Media (the world’s very first weekly travel trade newspaper), a "Tour Operator Travel Guru" and "Legend Award" winner, Ella is also a Fellow of the Institute of Travel, a Member of the Association of Women Travel Executives, has completed over 250 travel modules, and hosts travel-focused segments on national radio shows where she provides insights on travel regulations and destinations.

Ella has visited over 40 countries (with 10 more planned this year).