I Left My Weed In A Rental Car Or An Uber: What Should I Do?

By The Fresh Toast's Mike Adams, provided exclusively to Benzinga Cannabis.

Of course, there are steps you can take to have misplaced items returned from an Uber UBER or a rental car But is that even possible when it comes to marijuana?

American workers, travelers and socialites are leaving behind all sorts of personal crud in Ubers and rental cars these days. One report found that some of the most common of these accidental abandonments include laptops, cell phones, purses and backpacks. Yet, the extent of the stuff the scatterbrained population resigns to the backseat of other people’s vehicles is absolutely endless.  

Everything from pets to propane tanks have been found by drivers of this popular ride-sharing service. It’s also becoming increasingly more common for people to leave cannabis products and paraphernalia behind. And while a situation involving any lost item is undoubtedly one loaded up with stress and hassles, losing your weed is just like, well, a bummer, man. Of course, there are steps one can take to have misplaced items returned. But is that even possible when it comes to marijuana? And if so, what does a person have to do to see that their dope makes it home safely? 

Even in the states where marijuana is now legal for adults 21 and older, getting lost weed returned to its rightful owner could prove tricky. Legal or not, Uber and car rental agencies does not want passengers using their service for cannabis transport. In fact, Uber guidelines show a zero-tolerance policy for drugs and alcohol. This means that if a driver even suspects a passenger has marijuana, they can take steps to get them banned from Uber altogether. The reprimand might only start out with a warning, but with enough marijuana-related reports, a person could easily be back in taxis in no time. This is similar for rental cars.

So, if you realize that you left your weed in the back of an Uber or rental car, what should you do? Well, if we’re honest, it might be best to let it go. Yep, just chalk it up as a loss and move on with your life. Because while a person certainly has the right to file an inquiry with the company to have their weed returned, there is a chance that it could come back to bite them. After all, admitting to a violation of the company’s drug and alcohol policy might be construed as a bold move, and it could result in the company stripping away your privileges.

And seriously, you don’t want to go back to cabs, now, do you? Of course, not. But also, we get it, weed is expensive and no self-respecting cannabis connoisseur could live with themselves if they didn’t at least try to get their weed back.

You can always try this: Open the Uber app on your phone. Now, select the menu and find “Your Trips.” From there, you’ll be able to search your ride history and find the one where you most likely lost the weed. At the bottom of the page, you’ll see a list of possible complaints. Click “I lost an item.” Once this is done, you’ll see a list of possible options. Select “Contact driver about a lost item.” You’ll then provide Uber with a contact number and eventually, you’ll be connected with the driver to discuss the missing item. If they are cool, well, you might have a shot at getting it back. But again, the situation could always result in disappointment, anger and ultimately sobriety.   

But please take note: A person who loses marijuana in an Uber or rental car in a state where it is illegal should avoid filing any kind of grievance like it is the coronavirus. Seriously, there probably isn’t any chance that the driver is going to return the weed.

And if they do, they might even involve law enforcement and you could end up going to jail for marijuana possession. The situation could also result in you losing access to the Uber app on a permanent basis, leaving you with no convenient way to get back home once the county jail finally releases you from custody. It’s just not worth it.

Photos courtesy of Uber