Are you a muggle smuggler? Do you know what a muggle smuggler is? No, it’s not a Harry Potter reference, although kudo’s to JK Rowling for getting her definition of a muggle into the Oxford English Dictionary! But way back before JK Rowling was even born, Time Magazine referred to Marijuana cigarettes as muggles and stated, “Prison authorities find muggle-smuggling a perplexing problem.” In 1931 they even posted the following definition of a muggle: Marijuana is a variety of hemp weed (Cannabis sativa) long common in Mexico, lately becoming common in the U.S. Its leaves can be dried, ground and rolled into cigarets, [sic] which are bootlegged under the name of “muggles,” “reefers,” or “Mar Warners.” Thinner, shorter than standard cigarets, “muggles” are made from the small delicate leaves of the female marijuana plant.
Cool right – so are you a muggle smuggler? A recent article in the NY Times talks about how state and federal laws conflict, thus making it illegal to fly with marijuana in carry-on or checked luggage. It is also illegal to transport marijuana across state lines, even if both states have legalized it because once you cross state lines it also becomes a federal issue.
This article was interesting as it confirmed my belief that the security dogs we occasionally see nosing around our bags in the airport, were there to sniff out explosives and not the occasional “muggle”. I know this is reassuring to a lot of people, because I’m not the only one who has unknowingly passed through airport x-ray with a forgotten bud in their purse or the end of the joint in a jean pocket. On an even grander scale, there are many people seeking relief for themselves and/or family members from Medical Marijuana and marijuana infused products that are not available in their own states. These people are continually taking a huge risk muggle smuggling. Ok, yes, they are breaking the law but not for one second do I consider these people criminals and now apparently neither does most airport security. Frankly, I’m relieved to know that no one is looking for them, well, as long as they stay under the radar.
Although legalization is moving very rapidly we are still going to have to be patient with the ins and outs of the laws as they get sorted out. There has been so much change over the last few years with marijuana and legalization and I am truly hopeful that pot will be made federally legal soon, then we can all throw caution to the wind. In the meantime, please stay smart and be discreet - it’ll be safe to come out soon! Happy Consuming!
For more info check out this article: http://nyti.ms/2oYm9nx
Thanks to Ayo Ogunseinde for our blog cover photo
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