{"id":19412,"date":"2026-07-21T00:58:51","date_gmt":"2026-07-21T00:58:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/?p=19412"},"modified":"2026-07-21T00:58:51","modified_gmt":"2026-07-21T00:58:51","slug":"thailand-hikes-cannabis-penalties-for-travelers-to-10-years-prison-as-experts-weigh-in","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/?p=19412","title":{"rendered":"Thailand hikes cannabis penalties for travelers to 10 years prison as experts weigh in"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Class-action lawsuit filed against Chicago cannabis sellers over false wellness claims<\/h4>\n

Dana Perino reports on a class-action lawsuit filed against three Chicago-based cannabis companies for allegedly marketing products under false wellness claims. Kevin Sabet, CEO of Smart Approaches to Marijuana, discusses the suit, emphasizing consumer protection and the public’s right to know about potential side effects of high-potency THC.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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NEW<\/span>You can now listen to Fox News articles!\n <\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Before heading overseas, American travelers are warned to double-check their bags for one item that could lead to hefty fines or even prison time.<\/p>\n

U.S. officials are reminding travelers that bringing cannabis products across international borders remains illegal in many countries \u2014 following a new customs policy in Thailand that significantly increases penalties for violators.<\/p>\n

In June 2026, Thailand introduced tougher penalties for travelers caught bringing cannabis across its borders. Violators can face up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to 500,000 Thai baht (about $15,000), or both, according to the U.S. Embassy and Consulate in Thailand.<\/p>\n

FLYING WITH CANNABIS? TSA’S NEW GUIDANCE COMES WITH A MAJOR HEALTH WARNING<\/strong><\/p>\n

Fox News Digital reached out to the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) for comment.<\/p>\n

Although Thailand decriminalized cannabis possession in 2022, importing or exporting cannabis without the proper permissions remains illegal, the warning said.<\/p>\n

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Officials are warning Americans to check their luggage for cannabis before traveling abroad, reminding them that carrying it across international borders remains illegal in many countries.<\/span> (iStock)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Jeffrey Hoffman, a New York-based cannabis attorney, said travelers should never assume that laws at home apply once they cross an international border.<\/p>\n

“While we are seeing cannabis laws relaxed in countries like Canada and in various states in the U.S., cannabis is still generally illegal across the overwhelming majority of the planet,” Hoffman told Fox News Digital. “When you travel to a different jurisdiction, you become subject to its laws.”<\/p>\n

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Hoffman, a legalization activist, pointed to the high-profile case of WNBA star Brittney Griner, who was imprisoned in Russia after authorities found cannabis oil in her luggage, as a reminder that some countries strictly enforce drug laws.<\/p>\n

“There is no safe harbor when traveling internationally,” he said. “Even a mistake is no excuse.”<\/p>\n

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Travelers should never assume that laws at home apply once they cross an international border, experts say.<\/span> (iStock)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Travel expert and former flight attendant Bobby Laurie, based in the D.C. area, said many travelers mistakenly assume that if something is legal at home, it’s automatically legal everywhere they go.<\/p>\n

CLICK HERE FOR MORE LIFESTYLE STORIES<\/strong><\/p>\n

“Even if you’re carrying a cannabis product for personal use or have a medical prescription, that doesn’t guarantee it (will) be allowed at your destination,” Laurie told Fox News Digital. “Some countries have extremely strict drug laws, and the penalties can be severe.”<\/p>\n

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“Even if you’re carrying a cannabis product for personal use or have a medical prescription, that doesn’t guarantee it (will) be allowed at your destination,” said one expert. <\/span> (iStock)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Laurie recommended checking local laws before every trip, plus emptying backpacks, purses and carry-ons of forgotten items. He said people should never assume customs officials will overlook a mistake.<\/p>\n

Some countries have laws governing everyday items that many travelers would never expect, Laurie noted \u2014 pointing to Singapore’s restrictions on chewing gum as a reminder to research destination-specific rules before packing.<\/p>\n

TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ<\/strong><\/p>\n

“This is one of those things you wouldn’t know unless you researched it, and how many of us walk around with that in our bags?” he said.<\/p>\n

Fox News Digital previously reported that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) recently updated its guidance for travelers carrying medical marijuana on domestic flights.<\/p>\n

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Experts recommend checking local laws before every trip, emptying backpacks, purses and carry-ons of forgotten items, and never assuming customs officials will overlook a mistake.<\/span> (iStock)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

While the agency permits certain medical cannabis products under limited circumstances, experts emphasized that international travel is a different matter.<\/p>\n

Crossing international borders with cannabis remains subject to the laws of the destination country, regardless of whether marijuana is legal where a traveler lives.<\/p>\n

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The TSA also notes that while its officers are focused on security screening, they may refer suspected violations of law to local law enforcement.<\/p>\n

Khloe Quill of Fox News Digital contributed reporting.<\/i><\/p>\n

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Kelly McGreal is a production assistant with the lifestyle team at Fox News Digital. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Class-action lawsuit filed against Chicago cannabis sellers over false wellness claims Dana Perino reports on…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":19413,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pagelayer_contact_templates":[],"_pagelayer_content":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-19412","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sport"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19412","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=19412"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19412\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/19413"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=19412"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=19412"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=19412"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}