TSA refers to the Transportation Security Administration. It is one of the agencies of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Its responsibility is to ensure the security of travelers within the United States.

The question is, can TSA detect edibles?

In answering the question, can TSA detect edibles, it is essential to note that the TSA is in charge of screening all travelers as they travel. Their job is to identify anything that might pose a threat to the security of lives and properties. They are more concerned about anything that could threaten the aircraft, the lives and properties of passengers, and are not on the lookout for edibles. However, TSA does not pay attention to edibles, but only where it comes across such in your search.

What Are Edibles?

The word edible refers to any food or drink that has cannabis or THC. These edibles are known for having a soothing and relaxing effect when consumed. It also helps to relieve stress and invigorates the body. One can take an edible for either medical or recreational purposes.

Taking Edibles For Recreational And Medical Purposes

Many people consume cannabis-infused foods and drink, not based on any medical grounds, but to have a good time and feel good. However, there are those whose consumption of edibles is on medical grounds.

The difference between consuming edibles for recreational purposes and consuming it for medical purposes is that for medicinal purposes, a doctor recommended that patients should consume it for their medical needs. Its use is famous for tackling painful conditions, seizure, nausea, and vomiting.

Consuming edibles is suitable for those who need to take cannabis or marijuana on medical grounds. It is also a better option when you compare it to smoking. Medical practitioners usually recommend the consumption of these edibles for patients who has nausea, digestive problems, and severe pain.

The Various Forms Of Edibles

There are various types of edibles. It could be in the form of marijuana gummies, chocolate, baked edibles. It is common to group them according to the mode of intake, which could be oral, gastrointestinal, or a combination of both.

When you consume edibles orally, the effect usually kicks in faster than any other form of consumption. However, the same way its impact is easily felt is the same manner in which its effect quickly wears off.

Gastrointestinal intake of edibles refers to when the body absorbs the edibles through the stomach. It is more common with edibles that fall under the food and drink category. It could take up to two hours for you to feel the effect of edibles that you consume in this manner. However, when you feel those effects, it could last for as long as eight hours before the feelings wear off.

Asides taking edibles in an oral and gastrointestinal manner, there is also a method of consuming edibles in a combination of both oral and gastrointestinal means.

Benefits Of Consuming Edibles

We can trace the consumption of edibles to a lot of health benefits. Asides the benefit from its use for medical purposes, it also has other benefits for the regular person.

Consuming edibles offers excellent value to consumers. It is because one can consider it relatively cheap when we compare it to the satisfaction and feeling derived from its consumption. It is an excellent tool for relieving stress and making you feel better. It also comes in handy for inducing euphoria.

These edibles are substances that contain lots of nutrients that are essential to the body. These nutrients are Vitamin C and K. It also contains calcium and iron.

One great benefit of consuming edibles that we cannot ignore is that consumers can get the right dosage that they want without taking an overdose of THC. The companies that manufacture these edibles measure the quantity of cannabis in each and specify it to guide consumers in their consumption properly.

Producing marijuana into edibles makes its consumption easily accessible to persons who would find it difficult to find it and purchase it. Also, this way, they are assured of its clean and hygienic production.

It is a fact that using cannabis for cooking acts as a spice that enriches the taste and nutritional value of the food prepared. Whether you are using it in liquids or solids, the taste of it in food makes it more appealing to the taste buds.

The Laws Regulating Edibles In The United States

Under the Controlled Substances Act of 1970, having and using cannabis is illegal and therefore constitutes an offence. It is the position of federal law in the United States. The Act categorizes the various substances based on different features such as use, safety, the possibility for abuse, and its addictiveness.

The essence of the Act is to regulate how companies and individuals manufacture and distribute stimulating and narcotic substances. The Drug Enforcement Administration is the agency that is responsible for enforcing and implementing the provisions of the Controlled Substances Act of 1970.

The Act has the effect of restricting the manufacture and distribution of these substances in ways that only registered pharmacies can receive and distribute these substances to other registered persons or organizations.

In spite of the federal legal framework, cannabis is legal in some states in the United States. In some states, the legalization is only with regards to its use for medical purposes. In other states, it is entirely legal, legalized for only medical purposes or prohibited, and the use of it becomes a criminal offence.

There are thirty-three states in the United States that have legalized the medical use of cannabis. Only 11 states legalized the recreational use of it.

The Role Of The TSA

Given the above, it is more evident that the role of the Transportation Security Agency (TSA) is not primarily related to the war against drugs or its detection. Its function is to fight against terrorism and ensure the security of lives and properties of travelers.

The TSA conducts screening exercises at airports and creates policies that minimize all possible threats of terrorist attacks. The officers receive the requisite training that sharpens their observatory skills, giving them a keen eye to detect the slightest act that could result in endangering the lives and properties of other travelers.

Although all of its responsibility is not limited to the airports, it happens that the role it plays in ensuring airport and air travel security is one of the most visible aspects of its works. Thus, its responsibility can often be confused to include the detection of controlled substances on aircraft.

In conducting searches at the airport, it is easy for these substances not to be noticed by the TSA agents. It is because they are not on the lookout for edibles or controlled substances which is outside the purview of their responsibilities. Also, the searches they conduct do not often factor the detection of cannabis substances and edibles. However, when they come across it, the much they can do is to refer you to the appropriate agency. The agency is the DEA that has the responsibility to handle such.

Bearing this mind, the issue that we should carefully examine is which agency has the responsibility to search and detect edibles and all forms of controlled substances at the airport.

The Institution That Is Responsible For Detecting And Monitoring Controlled Substances

Although the TSA has the responsibility for airport security, the agency of government that has the powers to check for the illegal use, movement and distribution of narcotics and other controlled substances in the U.S. is the Drug Enforcement Administration. Its primary responsibility is to enforce the provisions of the Controlled Substances Act of 1970.

The scope of its responsibility covers the regulation of the processes of manufacturing. It also extends to the distribution and the use of these controlled substances. It is the enforcer of the federal laws that relate to controlling these substances.

In carrying out its responsibility, the agency investigates drugs deals and arrangements, detects the carriage of drugs around. They critically investigate all drug crimes and their offenders. Thus, when they identify these controlled substances at the airports, it is the responsibility of the Drug Enforcement Administration to investigate and handle the matter accordingly.

It is a fact that air transportation is one of the conventional means of transporting drugs and edibles. Although TSA has the responsibility of conducting searches and screening at airports, they often discover instances of drugs and edibles on passengers. Their responsibility is to report such cases to the Drug Enforcement Administration that takes on the role of verifying whether or not the presence of the edibles amount to a violation of drug laws, especially when it is a journey between a state that legalizes it and another state that criminalizes it.

Conclusion

In answering the question, can TSA detect edibles; the answer is in the affirmative. They can detect these edibles in the course of their routine search and screening, although they might not necessarily be on the lookout for them. When they find such, they will be overstepping their powers when they do not refer it to the appropriate authorities.

You May Like This Article As Well:

Pickled Garlic Health Benefits You Must Know