Woman banned from Carnival ships after attempting to bring CBD gummies aboard, lawyer says
ORLANDO, Fla. - A Texas woman is banned for life from all Carnival Cruise Line ships after she attempted to bring CBD gummies onto a cruise ship, according to her lawyer.
In August, Melinda Erin Van Veldhuizen said she was with her family at PortMiami, when she was pulled to the side by one of the workers in the terminal. They confronted her about the gummies in her bag. Van Veldhuizen said the gummies did not contain any THC so she was under the impression they were permitted.
After the employees weighed the bag, she was escorted off the boat, and later received a letter in the mail, notifying her of the lifetime ban.
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"To me, it seems like an extreme measure," she said. She is currently seeking legal action for the financial losses connected to the incident. Her lawyer, Daren Stabinski, said the gummies were not prohibited. "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."
An aerial view of the Port of Miami. (Photo by: Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
According to Stabinksi, Carnival officials responded to their complaint with a letter denying wrongdoing on their behalf.
"We have thoroughly reviewed this matter, and it was clearly determined that your client, Melinda Van Veldhuizen, was at fault for the incident. CBD is still not completely legal under federal law and some port states and Carnival must comply with federal law and the laws of the ports of call the ships visit," the letter reads.
Stewart Chiron, a cruise expert, said the conflict highlights the need to review the cruise line’s website before you pack.
"They do have certain items that are not allowed on board the ships," he said. "People need to adhere to those rules in order to keep themselves and everybody else safe.
FOX 35 News has reached out to Carnival and is awaiting a response.