Aspen Airport Now Offers Marijuana-Only Disposal Bins: Keeps You From Breaking Federal Law and Airport Employees Happy

Although marijuana is legal only in some states, and for medicinal purposes in more, pot remains illegal under federal law (but where it’s legal there are even loyalty programs with reefer-a-friend bonuses).

You have to clear a federal checkpoint to fly commercial. And the TSA (T)akes (S)tinkweed (A)way.

Denver’s airport even instituted an unconstitutional ban on wearing marijuana t-shirts.

Smelling of pot could be reason to confiscate all your savings (if you happen to be carrying it on you when a fed’s nose is working).

So you cannot fly in the U.S. with weed. There’s a few exceptions though like Portland and Spokane, Washington but only as long as you’re flying intra-state (and local law enforcement, when called by the TSA, will mock their lessers-in-blue).

Colorado Springs airport installed amnesty boxes so that passengers could leave their weed rather than break the law. This is, in essence, free pot for airport employees. And the practice has spread to the Aspen airport where they offer Pot Only waste bins (HT: Alan H.).


Credit: THE-SEER

Apparently they’re quite popular.

The items left behind are an indicator of how broad Colorado’s cannabis market has become.

Items regularly left inside the bins are marijuana-infused drinks, pipes and edible items like sweets and biscuits.

No word yet on whether relieving passengers of their pot has reduced airside restaurant sales.

Memo to American Airlines: please stock your Aspen – Dallas CR7 regional jet with cookies.

About Gary Leff

Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel - a topic he has covered since 2002. Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »

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Comments

  1. Even though it is legal in a certain area, it isn’t legal in all – so they need to make sure that you don’t take it with you. Upon first sight of the boxes it is a little surprising, as you definitely don’t see those in every airport. I personally would disagree with Denver’s ban on marijuana clothing as I believe that you should be able to wear whatever you choose to. Thanks for sharing!

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