Be Aware When Traveling With Kratom

Planning a trip soon but stressing about bringing kratom along for the journey? If so, not having to worry about where to get kratom at your destination offers peace of mind as you never know what type of vendor you may run into. You could come across weak or adulterated products, or worse, something that isn’t kratom at all. 

With the legal landscape for kratom being one worth constant monitoring, it is tough to issue a blanket rule regarding traveling with kratom. However, there are no laws against traveling with kratom in most of the country. The fact is it is possible and usually not too difficult to bring your own with you wherever (or almost wherever) you go.

Potential Concerns When Traveling With Kratom

If kratom is legal in most jurisdictions within the United States, why would there be a concern? You may have been made aware of kratom years ago, but let’s not forget that the majority of people don’t know what it is. 

When people see an unknown substance, particularly if it is not in marked packaging, it can be suspicious. It may be mistaken for something illegal or otherwise questionable.

There are plenty of warnings online regarding flying, or even driving, with kratom, but they are generally based on speculation and not even anecdotal experience. That said, could you imagine being put on the spot in the middle of an airport because you were in possession of what may look like recreational drugs?

A second reason it may be confusing or intimidating to travel with kratom is that there are sweeping inconsistencies across the country when it comes to kratom laws. States like Alabama, Indiana, Wisconsin, Rhode Island, and Vermont criminalize the possession of kratom altogether. 

Others, Mississippi for example, leave it up to their individual counties and municipalities to legally control the leaf Finally, there are no federal guidelines to rely upon for help when it comes to traveling with kratom.

Since state-level guidance is so illogical and conflicting, it would be nice to have an official word when traveling across state lines. The fact is that, until it is explicitly written otherwise, you aren’t breaking any laws by taking kratom on a plane or interstate driving.

What You Should Do

Learn About Where You’re Going

Let’s say you’re going to be heading out of state or even internationally. Have you checked on the laws at your destination? If there are any prohibitions on kratom, do the laws apply the same to visitors or for personal amounts?

While it’s important to check on the laws of where you’re going to be traveling with kratom, it is equally as important to ensure you are going off the most recent information. With the astronomical number of blogs and informational websites out there, it is easy to stumble across pages that haven’t been updated in years.

Your safest bet is to look for info with a recently published or “last updated” date. The American Kratom Association is a good source of the latest news regarding individual state and local laws pertaining to kratom.

Keep it at the Top of Your Carry-on

You don’t want to act like you are hiding something. This could make you look guilty when you haven’t done anything wrong. You’ve checked the laws, so let your research guide you. I recommend keeping your kratom right at the top of your carry-on luggage.

Have Answers Ready

With the boundless security measures that continue to be implemented at airports, you don’t have to be committing a crime to be pulled aside and questioned. If this happens to you, know that they may ask you what your kratom is. 

Again, this is especially likely if your products are not in their original packaging but it may not matter to a particularly rigid TSA agent. Have answers ready so you speak with confidence. Be able to explain what kratom is, why you are in possession of it, and its legal status both federally and where you’re going. Not all government employees, including law enforcement officers, have heard of kratom.

Leave Early

Prepare to be stopped and questioned even if it’s not likely to happen. If flying, leave at least an extra half hour or so before you usually would just in case. If you’re driving, plan for potential delays. If nothing happens, you’ll have more time to put those finishing touches on that presentation before you board or after you reach your destination.

What You Shouldn’t Do

Don’t Act Sketchy

Again, be confident that you’re not breaking any laws or doing anything “wrong.” You can quickly become a target if you make yourself look suspicious. Remember to breathe. 

As long as you used credible sources when checking for potential legal issues, you should relax. You’re not trying to smuggle cocaine here, even if some states wrongfully treat it as such.

Don’t Makeup Stories

Be straight up about your kratom. If you start making up stories you will eventually stumble and it will be evident that you are untruthful. This will of course lead to increased suspicion.

Even if you’re not in violation of anything, it could take a lot of time out of your day. You don’t want to miss a flight because you decided to say something that you thought would keep you under the radar.

Don’t Bring It To Banned Areas

Does this even need to be spoken? There are areas that consider you a criminal for traveling with kratom. Most of these actually consider possession a felony in the same class as possession of heroin or methamphetamine. You may be able to squeeze by, especially if driving, but do you really want to spend your trip worrying about what may happen if you get caught? 

All it takes is one curious airport employee or a burnt-out taillight to turn things south really quickly. That’s a lot of added stress and you could end up in jail. So much for an enjoyable vacation.

Enjoy Your Trip

Overall, I can’t stress enough the importance of doing your homework in a manner that allows you to be confident when traveling. Look for resources that are either new or have been updated recently. 

The last thing you want is to find out the hard way that kratom was turned into a controlled substance wherever you’re going because the article you read was outdated.

Remember, kratom is legal in the vast majority of the United States and the world as a whole. As long as you do your research and stay confident, the only thing you should worry about is packing for your trip!