Medical marijuana has been rescheduled. Does that mean I can fly out of Denver with it?

Hey, did you hear? Medical marijuana is legal now … sorta.

The U.S. Department of Justice announced in April that state-licensed medical marijuana had been reclassified from Schedule I to Schedule III in the Controlled Substances Act. This gives the plant the same legal status as prescribed anabolic steroids, ketamine and hydrocodone-infused aspirin — if you have an approved medical marijuana card, that is.

So, does that mean you no longer have to worry about the long-standing challenge of procuring pot on vacation? That’s what James in Park Hill wants to know. “Can I fly out of Denver with weed now, as long as it’s medical? I saw the TSA is now allowing medical marijuana, but I don’t want to get arrested before vacation even starts,” he says.

For the latest edition of our Weekly WTF series, we revisited Denver International Airport‘s cannabis policy in light of rescheduling.

After the DOJ announced the cannabis rescheduling, the What Can I Bring section of TSA’s website was updated to show marijuana listed as a “Yes” for both checked and carry-on bags. But that “Yes” comes with special instructions: Flyers are required to have a state-legal medical marijuana card, and travelers still must follow local rules regarding cannabis consumption and possession — and that’s where things get sticky.

Public cannabis consumption is banned at all airports and on planes, obviously, and most airports are slow to change their policies regarding possession. According to a DIA spokesperson, the airport’s marijuana policy, last updated in June 2025, still bans consumption and possession. This includes all airport property, such as ground transportation facilities, roadways, land, hangars, warehouses, runways, shops, hotels, motels and administrative offices.”

Both TSA and other airports have been loosening cannabis restrictions for a while, even if DIA won’t. For almost eight years, Los Angeles International Airport has allowed travelers to board planes with up to 28.5 grams of marijuana and 8 grams of concentrated marijuana, in accordance with California’s state initiative that legalized recreational cannabis in 2018.

As far back as five years ago, TSA’s drug policy explicitly stated that screening processes “are designed to detect potential threats to aviation and passengers” and noted that 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.”

If TSA agents were to find cannabis in your luggage at DIA today, they’re still supposed to refer you to local police, which could result in a citation (and potentially a missed flight) if you’re carrying 2 ounces of herb or under. And as long as you’re not traveling with more than 6 ounces, you’ll likely avoid a felony. But who needs that much weed on vacation?

Reports of cannabis possession citations and arrests are rare at DIA, and traveling incognito has become even easier as THC gummies and vape products gain popularity. With a new CEO on the way at DIA and the recent reform at the federal level, maybe the airport will revisit its policy sometime soon. But if you’re only flying with a handful of gummies or a small jar of buds, you probably don’t have to worry about being taken away in cuffs before flying to Charlotte or Milwaukee — although we can’t say that with certainty, since we’re not lawyers and have no idea what other freaky shit you might be flying with.

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