# Taking CBD/THC from US to UK? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 12, 2019, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taking-cbd-thc-from-us-to-uk/832421 "2019-04-12T01:00:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tilt-A-Whirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e79b87/32.png) [@Tilt-A-Whirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tilt-A-Whirl)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2019, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taking-cbd-thc-from-us-to-uk/832421/1 "2019-04-12T01:00:55Z")
After a lifetime of insomnia, a friend (ha, no, really, a friend) recently got a medical marijuana card and has experienced near-miraculous relief, sleeping well and soundly. She has a trip to England planned this Fall, and is wondering about either legally bringing it with her or legally getting some there. We’ve both googled the topic, with no real satisfactory answers. Any thoughts? ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2019, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taking-cbd-thc-from-us-to-uk/832421/2 "2019-04-12T01:03:12Z")
Do Not Cross ANY Borders With CBD/THC Period. ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2019, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taking-cbd-thc-from-us-to-uk/832421/3 "2019-04-12T02:00:39Z")
Yeah, what **Ike** said. Sure, you might just have the TSA guy smirk and pocket your shit or you could end up doing time–best not to even try it. That being said, the number of people who’ve successfully brought CBD gummy candy in checked luggage is quite considerable. I don’t think I’d risk it though. ---
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2019, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taking-cbd-thc-from-us-to-uk/832421/4 "2019-04-12T02:04:48Z")
Cannabis derived medicines are (within the last few months) available in the UK but only on prescription, and only a specialist consultant may prescribe, and they can only be prescribed for a limited range of conditions, and after other treatment options have been exhausted. Even if your friend brings with her a prescription from her US doctor, that’s unlikelly to be be acceptable in the UK. You can get CBD oil without prescription, as long as it’s not more than 0.2% THC. But I don’t know how readily available it is. ---
**Author:** ![busterpickle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/258eb7/32.png) [@busterpickle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/busterpickle)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2019, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taking-cbd-thc-from-us-to-uk/832421/5 "2019-04-12T02:16:24Z")
I guess people see “Straight Dope” and think this is a board for cannabis without bothering to read any of the other posts which have nothing to do with that. Any ways, AFAIK, a medical marijuana card isn’t a prespecription like for insulin or something. There are a few things that a doctor can prescribe a CBD containing medicine for, and those meds would come from an actual pharmacy, and not a dispensary. So, I doubt a state level medical marijuana card would convey to any other country, unless said state had a… hummer… treaty in place with said destination country? I don’t think there’s anything to stop a state from doing that but I doubt most states would have the expertise on-hand for an agreement at that level. Your best case scenario would be to research medical use of CBD in destination country and the requirements to obtain a prescription. Or, if you choose, the requirements to obtain a medical marijuana card for access to a dispensary. As others have stated, do not travel with that. TSA might not give a shit, but whose to say the inbound custom officials won’t. You’ll be a stranger in a strange land that is under arrest. ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2019, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taking-cbd-thc-from-us-to-uk/832421/6 "2019-04-12T05:17:47Z")
I have no personal knowledge of this but I have seen a vape shop in London (in Denman St near Piccadilly Circus - by the Whole Foods, so we’re not talking some seedy back-alley) that was advertising CBD products. I assume there are others. ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2019, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taking-cbd-thc-from-us-to-uk/832421/7 "2019-04-12T05:35:16Z")
Does your friend have friends in the UK? Because having a native go score the stuff in advance of her arrival seems like the best course of action–correct the jet lag right off the bat. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2019, 9:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taking-cbd-thc-from-us-to-uk/832421/8 "2019-04-12T09:43:51Z")
For CBD oil to be legal in the UK, it must contain no more than 0.2% THC, and the THC must not be easily separated from it. By contrast, cannabis oil, which has a higher THC content, is not usually allowed in the UK. Consider this from last week: > [@](#): > > The mother of a nine-year-old girl with severe epilepsy wept as she had an illegal supply of medical cannabis confiscated by customs officials after entering the UK with the potentially life-saving medication that her daughter cannot access, despite changes in the law. > > Campaigner Emma Appleby flew to the UK from Holland on Saturday morning carrying three months’ worth of cannabis oil, valued at £4,500, for her daughter Teagan, who has a rare chromosomal disorder as well as Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, which causes up to 300 seizures a day. > [Mother of girl with epilepsy has supply of medical cannabis confiscated | Cannabis | The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/apr/06/mother-of-epileptic-girl-teagan-emma-appleby-has-supply-of-medical-cannabis-confiscated)