Flying High? TSA Won’t Take Your Pot at Albany Airport

When you go through the Albany International Airport checkpoint you won't have to worry about having a small amount of marijuana on you. If you have a small amount of pot, TSA agents and police will no longer seize it, arrest you, or even issue a ticket not just at Albany International Airport but airports across New York state. Officials say it's not something security officers are looking for when they pat you down or search your bags according to the Times Union.

Bart R. Johnson who is the federal security director at fifteen New York state airports including Albany International says that they don't seize marijuana anymore. They are looking for threats like guns, knives, explosives, and illegal drugs. When they do find marijuana after a pat-down, they notify local law enforcement.

The patrols at the Albany International Airport are done by the Albany County Sheriff's office. Many times sheriff deputies are asked to come to a TSA checkpoint when they find marijuana on a passenger or inside their luggage. Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple says that if the amount of marijuana is less than three ounces they will no longer seize the pot, issue tickets, or arrest that person. In the past, they would make arrests and issue tickets but because the laws are changing, it is no longer necessary.

The TSA will still notify police on patrol at the Albany International Airport because it is still an illegal substance under federal law. The TSA, however, is not a law enforcement agency so they cannot make an arrest. Local police would handle it from there.