A woman from Texas has been banned for life from all Carnival Cruise Line ships after she tried to bring CBD gummies on board, according to her lawyer. Melinda Erin Van Veldhuizen said she was stopped by a worker at PortMiami in August, who discovered the gummies in her bag. Van Veldhuizen believed that since the gummies did not contain THC, they were allowed on the ship. However, she was escorted off the boat after the employees weighed the bag, and later received a letter notifying her of the lifetime ban.
Van Veldhuizen’s lawyer, Daren Stabinski, argues that the gummies were not prohibited according to the conditions of carriage. He stated, “The conditions of carriage specifically say that marijuana, marijuana derivatives, or controlled substances are illegal and are not allowed on the ship. What she had was none of those things.” Carnival officials responded to the complaint with a letter denying any wrongdoing, stating that CBD is not completely legal under federal law and that the cruise line must comply with federal law and the laws of the ports of call.
Stewart Chiron, a cruise expert, emphasized the importance of reviewing the cruise line’s website before packing. He explained, “They do have certain items that are not allowed on board the ships. People need to adhere to those rules in order to keep themselves and everybody else safe.”
FOX 35 News has reached out to Carnival for a response but is currently awaiting a reply.
