Palm Springs Airport clears up confusion for pot on planes

The Palm Springs International Airport is in the process of clearing up some confusion for cannabis users who travel through the airport. The city plans to standardize its guidelines and create better signage to inform passengers on the rules — considering California law contradicts federal law that prohibits pot on airplanes.

Although no policy changes have been made on the use of marijuana and travelers have been allowed to possess it since January 2018, the Palm Springs Airport hopes to make its informal policies easier for passengers to understand. This comes after the Los Angeles International Airport announced travelers can bring weed through security and on planes for interstate flights.

Both LAX and the Palm Springs Airport allow passengers 21 years and older to have an ounce of weed or less in possession. However, once passengers enter the TSA security zone that area is considered under federal jurisdiction, not state jurisdiction, where cannabis is legal.

If Transportation and Security Administration agents find pot on a passenger, the would turn it over to local authorities — where in California marijuana is legal. People who bring pot across state lines are subject to the laws of the state they land in.

According to the TSA website, marijuana is not legal — which causes some confusion for passengers. For any travel within the state of California, possession of weed in limited quantities is legal for those over the age of 21.

The safest way to avoid legal trouble is to avoid bringing marijuana on flights, even if you are in possession of a medical marijuana card.