Carnival and Royal Caribbean, two passenger cruise lines that sail to many ports, have policies against marijuana. They note that the substance is illegal there and that they are following federal law. As more passengers return to cruise ships and more come from states that allow the drug, the operators are taking more drastic measures to detect marijuana and crack down on those who try to use it. This includes people who just pack CBD products which are legal throughout the U.S.
The Wall Street Journal recently reported on this trend. Carnival Cruise Lines now not only reminds passengers to not bring marijuana with them, but they also employ drug-sniffing canines.
The article states that companies are focused on providing a comfortable cruise experience for non-users and complying with the law, but it also notes that cruise operators could have an ulterior motive of discouraging marijuana use.
The paper reported that cruise lines would benefit financially from prohibiting cannabis aboard. Alcohol is a significant revenue generator for cruise ships. Cruises also limit the amount of alcohol passengers can bring aboard.
A Florida personal injury attorney told us that he is “convinced” the government’s decision to be so strict on CBD or marijuana was to increase alcohol sales.
Royal Caribbean has told WSJ it does not allow any marijuana, even for medical or therapeutic purposes. Carnival said that it does not consider the impact of marijuana on alcohol sales when setting its policy.
Chris Chiames remarked that “that sounds like something a person would say while high” when he was chief communications officer of the cruise line.
Chiames explained that when a guest is unable to enjoy their balcony due to marijuana smoking neighbors, it becomes a problem of customer service.
The article quotes passengers who agree with Chiames that marijuana should not interfere with another passenger’s enjoyment of a cruise. It also mentions that some cruise ships prohibit CBD derived from hemp, even though it is legal on a federal level.
Erin Van Veldhuizen from Texas was banned for life by Carnival after the security team found CBD gummies inside her carry-on bag before the cruise left. Her lawyer confirmed that her family had received a partial reimbursement.
WSJ reported, however, that some passengers had managed to smoke pot without any consequences. Most passengers who are found in possession of marijuana will not be charged, at least not in the United States. In Bermuda and the Bahamas, some tourists were subjected to civil penalties or even prison time for using the drug.
Carnival’s spokesperson admitted that many passengers are confused because more jurisdictions have legalized marijuana despite federal prohibition. Almost three quarters of U.S. state now allow medical marijuana while nearly half have legalized adult cannabis use.
Confusion can have serious consequences. For example, Brittney Griner was sentenced to nine years of prison in 2022 for being a registered patient for medical marijuana in Arizona. She was later released.
Mark Fogel was also reportedly sent to a secret penal settlement in Russia without any contact with his family for having 17 grams of marijuana, which he claimed he had used to treat his back pain. Fogel, a former employee of the U.S. Embassy Moscow, was sentenced 14 years in Russian jail.
State Department spokesperson Ned Price stated in May last year that officials consider 11 criteria to determine whether an individual case is a wrongful arrest. If the U.S. believes that due process has been compromised, or that a person was only arrested because they were a U.S. citizen, this would be a case of wrongful detention.
The Biden administration was repeatedly criticized for its domestic marijuana policy, particularly in light of Griner’s conviction and imprisonment. Advocates argued that the U.S. could have been better placed to secure Griner’s release if they didn’t criminalize cannabis users.
Biden issued a mass pardon last year for all Americans who had committed federal marijuana possession crimes, but advocates have called for further reforms to ensure that no one is imprisoned over cannabis.
The federal government is currently undergoing a historic rescheduling process. In this review, the Drug Enforcement Administration is evaluating a proposal that cannabis should be rescheduled to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act.
The rescheduling is unlikely to have any legal impact on cruise ship policy, especially with the potential Food and Drug Administration approval for additional cannabis-based medications still some time away. However, it could create confusion (or further momentum) about allowing marijuana aboard cruise ships.
A top Virginia senator wants to legalize marijuana sales in exchange for approving a sports stadium preferred by the Governor
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