Traveling with weed or smoking accessories can be nerve wracking. So if you find yourself frantically Googling, “can I bring a weed grinder in my carry on” and finding it does little to ease your panic, fret not. We’ve got you covered. Grab your grinder and let’s get flying.
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A Stress-Free Stoner Travel Experience
Getting on a plane is anxiety-inducing for a lot of people for a variety of reasons. But with changing rules, it can be difficult to keep up with what you are and aren’t allowed to carry with you. Especially if you’re dealing with an exceptionally ornery airline and an equally unhelpful gaggle of ground staff.
And this is further complicated by geographical borders. Because once you enter a different airspace, new rules apply.
Is It Illegal to Carry Smoking Accessories on a Plane?
The simple answer is no, it isn’t. And to answer the question of the hour: yes, you can bring your grinder with you when you travel. It’s perfectly legal to carry a weed grinder in both your carry-on as well as your checked-in baggage. What isn’t legal, though, is carrying weed itself.
TSA guidelines are actually quite clear on this front. They do not screen for marijuana or other illegal substances, despite the illegality. As per their rules, they only report such substances to local law enforcement if they happen to find them. And whether the TSA officer finds it or not can depend on a variety of factors, including their mood for the day. Doesn’t mean it’s worth the risk though.
Can You Fly With A Weed Grinder?
Carrying weed is generally considered a hard no, even if there’s a chance you won’t get pulled up for it. Whether you bring your weed in carry-on luggage or checked-in baggage, it’s illegal. Not only do you risk it being detected, but airport staff is also trained to spot marijuana. And if an adorable little hound puts its nose to your bag, you’ve probably been made.
That said, you can definitely fly with weed gear without nearly as much trouble. This includes everything from bongs and pipes to rolling papers. And, as per most international guidelines, carrying things like grinders is not usually illegal. But there are a few ways to get your gear travel ready and save you the heartache of having anything confiscated along your journey.
Is It Safe to Bring a Weed Grinder on an International Flight?
The TSA rules ultimately apply only to local flights. International locations are harder on passengers traveling with substances of any kind, including weed. This is further complicated by individual airports and airlines having unique restrictions. Checking these rules before you hop on board a flight will save you a lot of trouble.
Overall, though, most airports, including international ones in relatively stricter countries, are pretty lax about weed gear. So as long as it comes without any trace elements attached to it.
Can I Bring a Weed Grinder in my Carry On?
You can absolutely bring your grinder in your carry-on instead of your checked-in baggage if you prefer. In fact, it’s probably better that you do.
To ensure your experience of traveling with a grinder goes smoothly, it’s safer to have your grinder in your carry-on. That way, if TSA decides they would like to inspect it, you don’t have to open up your checked luggage and rummage through all your underwear to get to it.
How to Clean a Grinder
Carry on or checked in, you’ll have to make sure your grinder is completely clean, inside out.
Grinders see quite a bit of build-up over time. For the average stoner, this is perfectly normal. This essential tool makes sure your weed is perfectly prepped before use.
Its ability to grind weed so beautifully, however, is also what makes it a relatively harder contraption to clean thoroughly. Yet, whether you use a metal or plastic grinder, you can get all the gunk out pretty easily with just a few readily available supplies.
Even if you aren’t traveling anytime soon, a clean grinder is essential to get the best out of it. Not to mention, keeping it clean will keep it functioning for a long time. And, naturally, regularly cleaning grinders will make it easier to toss them into your luggage without much fuss when the time to travel does arrive.
A Lean, Clean, Herb-Grinding Machine
Your main focus when carrying your grinder on a plane is to make sure it is cleaned till it is shiny new. Remove all debris, resin, build-up, and any other traces of weed on it. This prevents it from being detected during screening as anything suspicious. And it is less likely to be removed from your possession.
For an additional layer of safety, however, you can also disassemble your grinder once you’ve cleaned it out. Packing it in parts will make it less likely to be picked up while screening. This is largely due to the fact that when taken apart, a grinder won’t trigger the metal-detecting alarm bells quite as easily. And on top of that, if it no longer looks like a grinder, it is less likely to be identified as one and pulled out for inspection.
In summary, if you clean out your grinder to remove all traces of weed and then break it down into its parts, you can probably get through most airport screeners without any real trouble. Both locally and internationally.
Carry On My Wayward Son
The sage wisdom of Kansas is a great closer to the question, “can I bring a weed grinder in my carry-on?” While the actual process of getting through screening is hell, there will, in fact, be peace when you’re done. Just be sure your grinder is clean, check the international rules before you take off, and you’ll sail right through.
