Effective Jan. 1, marijuana found by airport security won’t be confiscated: Chicago police
Chicago IL December 23 2019
Chicago TSA and police do not plan on confiscating small amounts of marijuana found on adults traveling out of the city’s airports once Illinois legalizes recreational pot next month.
Federal and local officials discussed enforcement during a press conference held Friday ahead of the state’s new recreational marijuana law taking effect January 1, 2020.
“Our officers are not looking for cannabis as they go through their normal security duties.
But should they come across it, we are going to contact the Chicago Police Department to make a final determination on the disposition,” said Louis Traverzo, a deputy federal security director for the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA).
Chicago police will not order domestic travelers to pitch their pot if the amount found is legal under the new state recreational law, CPD Commander William Mullane told reporters.
“To ensure safe travel for all residents and visitors, we’re encouraging all travelers not to bring cannabis through Chicago’s airports as it still remains illegal under federal law,” he said at the press conference, adding that it is also illegal to transport any amount of cannabis across state lines and noting that pot laws differ abroad.
“If it is not a violation of the statute or ordinance, we would offer them a proper disposal of the cannabis if they wish, or they could continue on with their travels,” the police commander said about domestic travelers found with pot.
If travelers are “within the guidelines of our current statute, starting Jan. 1, we can’t enforce anything,” he added, The Chicago Sun-Times reported. “If they’re legal, they’re legal.”
