Denver TSA Won’t Confiscate Your Pot, They’ll Just Ask You to Take It Back to Your Car

Just because Colorado allows marijuana, don’t plan on traveling through Denver’s airport with the drug anytime soon.

Coloradans be warned: While it may be legal to purchase marijuana in that state, it remains a federally prohibited narcotic, meaning you can’t take it with you when you fly to another state, and Denver International Airport (DIA) prohibits the drug on the premises.

A Denver passenger discovered this to be the case when TSA screeners discovered an unidentifiable object tucked inside a peanut butter jar in a checked bag. Turns out it was a brownie filled with marijuana.

For the record, TSA says it does not screen baggage for drugs. “TSA’s screening procedures, which are governed by federal law, are focused on security and are designed to detect potential threats to aviation and passengers,” the agency posted on its Instagram site. However, if items are found that might violate federal law, the agency is required to notify local law enforcement officers, as was done in this case, and the item was confiscated.

According to a posting on FlightClub, the Denver Post reported that “no marijuana has been seized and no citations had been issued for attempted transportation of marijuana from DIA,” through mid-May of this year. However, there were 10 reports of people having pot confiscated when they tried to take it through security. Although violators who bring pot on to the airport premises can be fined up to a maximum of $999, DIA officials told the Post that if pot is found, violators are offered the chance to return it to their vehicle or give it the people that dropped them off, or throw it out.

[Photo: TSA Instagram]