The supporters of medical marijuana were overjoyed after ex Chicago Bears quarterbacks Jim McMahon provided his celebrity backing to their cause this week.

There was a Tribune photo of McMahon puffing away on pot when he went to Chicago from out of state, but anybody looking forward to travel with marijuana must be warned that it is risky.

Marijuana transportation across state lines is still a federal offense, despite state laws or the drug being legally acquired. The US Transportation Security Administration has mentioned on its website that its officer don’t look for marijuana or other drugs, but in case any such thing is found, they would refer the issue to local law enforcement.

However, McMahon, who said he is qualified to legally use medical marijuana in Arizona, where he lives, has also accepted that he travels with the drug.

He mentioned that once he had his marijuana confiscated by airport security officials, but they never sought to practice criminal possession charges against him.

If we speak technically, just the ones being issued with medical marijuana cards by the state of Illinois have the permission to buy or smoke pot legally statewide.

The Illinois Department of Public Health, which administers the program, said that at Illinois medical marijuana dispensaries, only Illinois-issued registry ID cards are valid.

On the other hand, the ones having Illinois medical marijuana cards can’t legally intake pot out of state. Furthermore, other states’ residents can’t apply for a card in Illinois, even if they have fulfilled one of the conditions, qualifying them for access.

A member of the 1985 Super Bowl team, McMahon said that he has no financial stake in the industry in Illinois, but simply willing to promote medical marijuana, which he called a ‘godsend’ and gave credit to for aiding him stop using prescription painkillers for the treatment of injuries from his playing days.