When traveling outside of their country, visitors are always subject to local laws that, in some cases, can be drastically different from those back home.
With recreational marijuana use legalized in 24 states and the District of Columbia as of 2026, either knowingly or unknowingly bringing cannabis products into other countries is a common way that some Americans get into serious legal trouble when traveling.
At the start of the summer, Thailand changed its border laws to reclassify cannabis buds as a fineable offense, meaning that anyone caught bringing them into the country now faces criminal charges instead of simple confiscation.
Countries such as Japan, Singapore, Indonesia, and the United Arab Emirates are among the many countries that enforce strict zero-tolerance policies, under which Americans claiming lack of knowledge have in the past faced detention and multi-year prison sentences, according to The Guardian.
“Legal in your home state does not mean you can take it abroad”
On Sept. 8, the U.S. State Department issued an official warning on its X and Facebook accounts, telling Americans not to travel internationally with marijuana or any other cannabis-derived products.
“U.S. citizens are subject to local laws,” the State Department warning reads. “Just because a cannabis, THC, or CBD product is legal in your home state does not mean you can take it abroad. This includes prescribed medical marijuana.”
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The government agency goes on to warn that even countries with legal or decriminalized cannabis do not necessarily allow tourists to freely transport it when entering.
Canada, which is among the eight countries that have fully legalized marijuana, has strict laws against it being brought in at border crossings (including from the United States and a state where it is also legalized).
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“Many countries impose severe criminal penalties for possessing cannabis”
“Many countries impose severe criminal penalties for possessing cannabis or cannabis-derived products,” the State Department writes.
As frequent cannabis users sometimes end up unintentionally leaving products or paraphernalia with traces of them in other belongings, international travelers are told to “always pack a completely empty bag” and check suitcases and other bags in which they plan to transport their items to make sure they do not accidentally contain a cannabis product.
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“Americans have been arrested after unintentionally bringing cannabis products into another country, including edibles, vape cartridges, oils, and concentrates,” the warning continues. “Check all suitcase compartments and pockets carefully before traveling.”
The same goes for bringing marijuana into the U.S., as recent incidents in U.S. airports have shown.
In April 2026, two Baltimore travelers coming home from the United Kingdom through Washington Dulles International were arrested with 57 pounds of marijuana in their baggage, according to Axios.
Similarly, a New Jersey traveler at Portland International Airport was stopped at the gate when TSA officers discovered more than 30 pounds of marijuana in his checked bags, Oregon Live reported.
Amid such high-profile cases, government agencies, including the TSA and the State Department, periodically offer similar reminders about both local laws and cross-border prohibitions.
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