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Great-Grandmother Arrested for Bringing CBD Oil to Disney World

May 08, 2019
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3 min read
Mickey's Royal Friendship Faire at Magic Kingdom Park
Great-Grandmother Arrested for Bringing CBD Oil to Disney World
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There's a long list of things you can't bring into Disney World: weapons, Disney costumes for visitors 14 years of age and older (except during special events), oversize strollers, stroller wagons, loose ice in coolers, alcohol and ... CBD oil. Unfortunately for one great-grandmother, unlike the stroller or loose ice situations, the CBD oil provided her a one-way trip from the Happiest Place on Earth to the local jail.

Disney security entrance (Summer Hull / The Points Guy)

Hester Jordan Burkhalter, a great-grandmother who made the anticipated family trip to Florida from North Carolina, had CBD oil in her bag as she went to enter Disney security, reportedly to help with her arthritis. (And let's be real, if there is anywhere arthritis is going to act up, it's when traversing Florida theme parks.) However, as Fox News reported, the CBD oil was discovered at the Disney security checkpoint.

To enter Walt Disney World, or so much as ride the monorail around the property, you must clear security. This is not just a metal detector type of screening. Security checks at Disney include security personnel searching your bags and belongings -- sometimes very meticulously. I've personally experienced bag screenings to enter Disney parks that, at times, have been at least on par with those to enter the White House for tours. Seriously.

After security personnel discovered the CBD oil, Burkhalter was arrested by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.

In Florida, CBD oil is sold in a wide variety of locations, but if there is THC present in the CBD oil, it may require an active prescription from a physician and a medical marijuana card. While Burkhalter reportedly had a letter about the oil from her physician in North Carolina, that was not sufficient to prevent her arrest when the deputy reportedly identified THC in the oil -- despite her bottle being labeled as 0mg of THC.

Instead of riding It's a Small World, this great-grandmother spent 12 hours in jail until bail was posted, all a result of her CBD oil bust. The prosecutors office has since dropped the charges.

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As the rules are ever-changing, TPG has put together a guide to traveling with marijuana -- and there's a section in there dedicated to CBD oil, with a full story about traveling with CBD products to come in the near future. At the very least, consider yourself warned about what can happen if you're traveling with CBD oil to Disney World. Read: Don't do it.

Featured image by Ryan Wendler

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  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

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  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
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  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
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  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
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