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Christmas is the season of giving, so why not give a gift that keeps on giving. Am I right?
Well, for some, that means handing out the green and no, we aren’t talking about cash.
Let’s just say you’re given some legal marijuana while traveling for the holidays. Can you take it back home with you? I mean, it was a gift, right?
Here’s what the law says.
Well, the short answer is no, but there’s a bit more to it.
According to Georgia attorneys at Arnold & Stafford, it depends on what you intend to do with the marijuana and how much you have.
In Atlanta, there are different legal ramifications than the rest of the state.
For example, in Atlanta, it isn’t a criminal act to possess less than an ounce of marijuana and it only requires a fine of $75.
However, in the rest of the state of Georgia, possession of marijuana at less than an ounce can be considered a felony with a $1,000 fine or 12 months in jail.
If you were gifted more than an ounce for Christmas, it could cost you big time in Georgia.
Now, if you’re actually caught with it while traveling, there are more things to consider, like if you already have a criminal record or not and if you have more drugs on you.
If you’re caught with it at the airport, you could be arrested on site.
“TSA agents may be more concerned with terrorism and large-scale drug trafficking. However, marijuana possession is still a federal crime,” according to LawInfo.org.
Sorry, Georgians. Looks like you’ll have to turn away the gift of weed this year.
This story comes to GPB through a reporting partnership with the Macon Telegraph.
Chelsea is a service journalism reporter who began working for McClatchy in 2022. She was born and raised in Middle Georgia and lives in Forsyth. She attended Wesleyan College for undergrad and a few years after that, went to SCAD for an MFA in Writing. Outside of work, Chelsea likes to watch Netflix, read books in the thriller genre and chase her toddler around.
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Got weed for Christmas in another state? What to know about bringing it back to GA – GPB News
