Pot workers won’t automatically be denied entry into U.S., border agency says

OTTAWA — The United States says Canadians who work in the marijuana industry will not be barred outright from entering the country.

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency says in an updated statement that someone working in the legal pot industry in Canada will “generally be admissible” as long as their travel is not related to the industry.

But the statement says they could still be blocked if their reason for travel is business.

The update clarifies a statement issued in September which said working in the industry could be an issue for crossing the border and could even be hit with a lifetime ban.

The news will be a sigh of relief for hundreds of Canadians already working to scale up Canada’s legal pot industry ahead of the legalization of recreational marijuana next week.

The U.S. border agency warns that someone who abuses drugs or admits to breaking any American laws would be inadmissible but that working in the legal industry in Canada is not grounds to automatically reject entry.

The Canadian Press