Melinda Van Veldhuizen banned from Carnival Cruise Line after CBD Gummies are discovered in her luggage as contention over paid fare and demand for $5586 refund is now made.
A Texas woman being banned for life from Carnival cruises after security found CBD gummies in her luggage as she sought to embark the cruise liner.
In August, Melinda Van Veldhuizen, 42, a mom of two was preparing to set sail from Miami with her family when security searched her bag and discovered a pack of CBD gummies. In the following hours, the Dallas-based nurse practitioner was held away from her family and ultimately denied boarding, WPLG reported.
Later, Van Veldhuizen received a letter from Carnival Cruise Line informing her that she’d be prohibited from boarding any Carnival ships in the future — and any future bookings would be canceled.
Family demand full refund
‘This decision was based on your actions on the current cruise, which were a violation of the ship rules, interfered with the safety and/or enjoyment of other guests on the ship or caused harm to Carnival,’ the letter from Carnival Horizon Captain Rocco Lubrano stated.
Van Veldhuizen told local news that she bought the gummies because they were advertised as a sleep aid.
The cruise line responded to WPLG stating that CBD is prohibited from Carnival ships and said it’s listed as a controlled substance by federal laws.
‘We are not here to ascertain where our guests purchase CBD or what they intend to use it for once on board. Our responsibility is to follow federal guidelines and stop prohibited items from being brought on board our ships,’ a spokesperson told WPLG.
Daren Stabinski, an attorney hired by Van Veldhuizen, told the Washington Post that she was still being held responsible for the roughly $5,586 fare for her family of four.
Later, Carnival sent a follow-up letter offering to reimburse Van Veldhuizen for $1,665 for her own fare, but Veldhuizen’s entire family decided not to board after she wasn’t allowed to.
Stabinski’s office is now working on a claim with Carnival in an effort to get a full refund. He said a lawsuit isn’t out of the question.
Does CBD Gummies get you high and are they illegal?
CBD is short for cannabidiol. It’s found in marijuana and can be derived from hemp or non-hemp plants, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
CBD, a compound commonly derived from hemp that doesn’t cause impairment or a ‘high,’ is different from marijuana which contains THC — a mind-altering substance, according to the CDC.
CBD is legal in most of the U.S after Congress removed hemp — defined as any part of the cannabis sativa plant with no greater than 0.3% of THC — from its list of controlled substances.
Van Veldhuizen’s gummies contained less than 0.01% THC, according to WPLG.
The hemp product, however, is prohibited by Carnival Cruise Lines.
‘While certain CBD products used for medicinal purposes may be legal in the US, they are not legal in all the ports we visit and therefore are also considered prohibited items,’ its website states.
It continues to remain unclear if the family of four will receive a full refund on their aborted cruise trip.
