There was a passenger disturbance on a JetBlue flight just this past week that resulted in a diversion. The plane took off from Boston, but a passenger had used the bathroom to smoke marijuana. To many people, that might not sound like a big deal, but the act has many more ramifications than just breaking a federal law. Marijuana has a very distinct smell, so the crew is going to smell that and they’re going to open the door to the cockpit and inform the pilot. Now the crew and pilot have inhaled the marijuana, and that’s a big deal. It’s not that they’re going to get stoned and start acting strangely, but they are subjected to random drug testing all the time. So now their jobs and livelihood are on the line. There may even be jail time if they test positive, and the FAA accepts no excuses. The passenger who started the whole thing won’t escape consequences either. The police were called ahead of time to meet the plane, so he’s going to jail for sure. Now he faces legal action, which translates to hundreds if not thousands of dollars in legal fees. So, if you’re thinking that you’re going to get high on a plane, think twice about it.
