Packing Your Cannabis Wellness Products for a UK Holiday

Cannabis products being transported inside of the United Kingdom is asked about far more than many people would imagine — and the response is much more complicated than simply “yes” or “no”. The U.K. has one law that applies to all cannabis-related products; however, how well it is enforced varies greatly, and which method of transportation you use as well as the type of product may make a big difference based on a single laboratory test result. The following is a general overview of what you are allowed to bring into the country, how to package these items safely, and where you should be aware of potential risks when traveling throughout the United Kingdom (e.g., while driving through the Scottish Highlands, or walking along the coast in Cornwall).

What’s Actually Legal in the UK

Beginning with an awareness of allowable cannabis wellness products in the UK, you will find the applicable legal structure includes:

• CBD products created from approved varieties of industrial hemp Maximum of 1 mg THC per final product container (not per serving, per container). Approval from the Food Standards Agency (FSA) to allow ingestible CBD products, like oils, capsules, edibles, etc. as Novel Foods
• Topicals (balms, creams, muscle rubs), however these are subject to cosmetic regulation and therefore require a separate compliance process than those items classified as foods.

Those products that most definitely do not fit into this regulatory scheme include:

• Any product containing over 1 mg of THC
• Cannabinol (CBN) at concentrations greater than trace amounts

Full-spectrum extracts that have not had their controlled cannabinoid levels removed through processing to a level that allows for compliance. Practically speaking: it can safely be assumed that any legitimate CBD oil purchased from a UK-based retailer would likely be compliant. On the other hand, a product purchased on-line from an overseas vendor; especially one labeled as “full-spectrum” or “broad-spectrum” without evidence of the vendors compliance with UK regulations could potentially not be.

Travelling by Car Within the UK

Driving with CBD products in the UK is easy as long as the products comply. For example, there isn’t any required way to store CBD oil, CBD capsules, CBD topical products, etc. They may be stored in a bag, a glove compartment, or a suitcase in the trunk. The one area where things become confusing is when you’re pulled over by the police and a police officer thinks you’ve used drugs or are impaired. Police officers will often have “drug wipes” and “roadside tests” that test for THC (the primary psychoactive compound in marijuana) but do not test for CBD. However, if a CBD product contains more THC than stated on the label of the product it could potentially show a positive result. Therefore, it’s recommended that users purchase their CBD products from stores that display third party “Certificates of Analysis” which prove the actual amount of cannabinoids contained within the product.

Practical packing tips for car travel:

• Keep products in original packaging with clear labelling
• Store a certificate of analysis (COA) in the car, either printed or accessible on your phone
• Avoid decanting oils into unlabelled containers — a brown bottle with no label is harder to explain than a labelled retail product
• There is no legal storage requirement for temperature — but CBD oils last longer when kept away from direct sunlight and heat, which matters on a summer road trip

Travelling by Train or Coach

There are no restrictions in terms of taking compliant CBD products onto UK rail/ coach services. The main operating companies (National Rail, Avanti, LNER, FlixBus and National Express) don’t appear to have banned CBD wellness products as part of their ‘prohibited items’ policy. Controlled substances are generally restricted by all operators; however, compliant CBD is not classified as such.

Although it is unlikely that anyone will be checking your luggage on a domestic train/coach service in the UK, you should still carry compliant products in their original packaging. It may also help to keep this product-related information easily accessible should you need it.

Travelling by Air Within the UK

Domestic UK flights — London to Edinburgh, Bristol to Belfast, Manchester to Inverness — introduce the liquid rules that apply to all carry-on luggage:

• Containers must be 100ml or under
• All liquid containers must fit within a single transparent resealable bag, 20x20cm
• One bag per passenger

This applies to all types of CBD liquids such as tinctures and other types of liquid wellness products. The standard size of a 10ml or 30ml CBD oil tincture poses no problem, but a larger quantity (such as a 200ml) would need to be placed in your check-in luggage or poured from the larger container into a smaller compliant one prior to your flight.

Airport Security Screening in the U.K. is performed by privately owned companies operating on behalf of the Department for Transport with guidelines that govern their practices. Airport Security officers receive training regarding prohibited items, however, none of this training includes knowledge about identifying CBD products. In nearly all instances where an airport officer pulls a passenger’s item for further examination, presenting the item and its accompanying label(s) to the officer while explaining what the product is, results in resolution of the matter.

There is only one potential area of concern: CBD edible gummies, CBD capsules and other forms of solid and semi-solid CBD products do not fall within the ‘liquid’ category and therefore have no restrictions based upon volume when carrying them in carry-on baggage. However, there are some possibilities of questioning based solely upon appearance when carrying these types of CBD products; again, labeling that originally came with each product should provide sufficient information to resolve any questions.

Specific Products and How to Pack Them

CBD oils and tinctures:

• Store upright to prevent leakage — a small zip-lock bag around the bottle is good practice for any journey
• Keep below 100ml for hand luggage on flights
• Original packaging with clear labelling and batch number
• COA accessible digitally or in print

CBD capsules and softgels:

• No volume restrictions for solids
• Keep in original blister pack or labelled bottle — decanting into an unlabelled pill organiser makes identification difficult
• If carrying prescription medications alongside, keep them separate and clearly labelled to avoid confusion

CBD topicals — balms, creams, muscle rubs:

• Liquid rules apply if the product is a cream or lotion for air travel
• Solid balms (stick format) are not subject to the liquid restriction
• These are the lowest-risk category — topicals are less likely to raise questions than ingestible products

CBD edibles — gummies, chocolates:

• Original packaging is essential — loose gummies in a bag are indistinguishable from confectionery containing other substances
• Technically solid, so no liquid restriction applies
• Keep quantities proportionate to the length of your trip; carrying a year’s supply for a weekend raises unnecessary questions

CBD vape products:

• Subject to both liquid rules (for e-liquid) and airline restrictions on battery-powered devices
• Vape devices with lithium batteries must travel in hand luggage, not checked baggage, on flights — standard aviation rule for all battery devices
• E-liquid in pods or bottles is subject to the 100ml liquid restriction for hand luggage
• Vaping is prohibited on all UK domestic flights and in most enclosed public spaces

Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland: Any Differences?

Cannabis legislation in the U.K. is a “reserved” matter, which means it can be passed by Parliament at Westminster; therefore the same laws prevail throughout all parts of the United Kingdom, including in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Domestic travelers do not have to go through customs when traveling between these countries; nor will they need to make any declaration regarding their use of cannabis.

For those who plan on visiting Northern Ireland, there is one important note: if you decide to travel into the Republic of Ireland, which is easily accessible via bus/train from Belfast, or by car from many of the counties near the border, you will leave the jurisdiction of Northern Ireland. While the Republic of Ireland recently legalized personal use of cannabis (following a pilot program in 2023), transporting any type of cannabis product across this border could constitute an export. Therefore, for cross-border travel associated with your vacation, treat each country’s border like any other international border.

A Practical Pre-Trip Checklist

Before you pack:

• Confirm your products are FSA-compliant for ingestibles, or clearly cosmetic for topicals
• Download or print the certificate of analysis for each product
• Check each container is under 100ml if you are flying
• Keep all products in original, labelled packaging
• Carry quantities proportionate to your trip length
• If carrying vape products, charge devices before travel and pack batteries in hand luggage

On the road, rail, or in the air — within the UK, a compliant CBD wellness product is a legal product. The goal of packing thoughtfully isn’t to conceal anything; it’s to be able to explain clearly and quickly what you’re carrying, should anyone ask.