Taking Meds in bottles or pill containers?

[marynjohn]

I take a lot of meds because of my heart transplant. I always keep them in individual daily holders. All I need plus an extra week. (You never know)

I've never had a problem on a cruise or plane. Definitely in my carry on. I put a printout of my spreadsheet in the baggie with them, and always keep a card with the list in my wallet.

If I had to keep them in original bottles, I'd have to have an extra carry on bag.

 

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[triptolemus]

You need to make clear the difference between a pill box and carrying the meds outside of their 'original' container:

 

As soon as a prescription drug is removed from its original pill bottle, the person who possesses it commits a crime unless the drug is, at that point, “in use.” Obviously, if a person takes a pill directly from the bottle and swallows it, the drug is “in use” during that process. But what if the person is supposed to take a pill every 4 hours and doesn’t want to carry the pill bottle around? What if the person puts a couple of pills in his or her pocket before heading off to work? The pertinent statute says a drug may be considered “in use” when it has been placed in “reasonable repackaging for more convenient legitimate medical use.” But placing a pill in a pocket does not involve repackaging, so the person would arguably commit unlawful possession while the drug is in his or her pocket.

 

http://edfolsomlaw.com/2013/01/illegal-possession-of-your-own-prescription-drugs/

 

But also consider the difference between being CHARGED and being found GUILTY. Consider being detained or arrested while making your way to your cruise:

 

http://forums.officer.com/t179708/

 

A pill box may not be enough to satisfy Officer Angry. Point is an informed decision is better than someone stranger on the internet saying "I do it all the time... no problem."

 

I would absolutely take extra precaution with narcotic medications.

Edited May 21, 2016 by triptolemus

[Loonbeam]

Exactly. It has nothing to do with NCL and everything to do with ICE/DHS.. If you get tagged for inspection and they find unlabeled pills, they will at best be confiscated and sent for testing while you go home, at worst you get to wait there while they do the testing.

 

The odds of this are very small, to be honest, but not impossible.

 

It all comes down to the law and if you want to gamble getting caught. The law in most US states, not sure if there's a federal law, says all prescription medication (not over-the-counter) must be stored in its original bottle with the prescription label on it. If you get caught with prescription medication not stored in its original bottle, even if it's in one of those "M-T-W-TH-F-Sat-Sun" containers, and especially if it's a controlled substance, you can be arrested.

 

With that being said, I wasn't aware of this and threw my medication in baggies and labeled them with what they were.. and two of them were controlled substances... No one said a thing.. but if Customs decided to check my baggage randomly I think I would have been in a world of hurt.

 

 

-Keith

[GeezerCouple]

Exactly. It has nothing to do with NCL and everything to do with ICE/DHS.. If you get tagged for inspection and they find unlabeled pills, they will at best be confiscated and sent for testing while you go home, at worst you get to wait there while they do the testing.

 

The odds of this are very small, to be honest, but not impossible.

 

It's worse, at least potentially.

 

This could be a problem at ANY border, and some of those borders... I wouldn't want to upset the authorities... who would have *total* authority at that point.

 

I just read the regs/rules for various countries, and it seems that even the fully/properly labelled pharmacy containers might not be sufficient. There's some other sort of certification needed in some cases, or so it seems.

And I have no idea what that is.

 

Our next stop is back to the Travel Medicine Clinic, this time to ask about the labels. No doubt they encounter this all the time.

But all we asked about were vaccinations and some meds to take for travel illnesses (but nothing "controlled" in any way).

 

Even for NON-controlled meds, all that would have to happy is that Officer Angry gets... angry, and decides that he/she "doesn't know what these pills are", and "suspects" they aren't allowed... and there it goes... :(

 

We've always preferred, at international borders, to have the properly labelled pharmacy containers, so they could look up the meds and see that the appearance matches.

The point is to minimize any reason for suspicion, and to make it all as verifiable as possible, just in case.

[triptolemus]

The point is to minimize any reason for suspicion, and to make it all as verifiable as possible as quickly possible, just in case.

 

This right here + the red stuff.

Edited May 21, 2016 by triptolemus

[GeezerCouple]

This right here + the red stuff.

 

Yes - great addition to the strategy.

 

Hope we never need it, but IF we do, yes, "as quickly as possible" so we aren't detained too long while someone gets revenge for a bad breakfast or whatever.

They DO have all the power at those borders, or even once you are in "the other country".

 

I think some people sometimes forget that.

[Loonbeam]

Actually, depending on where you are, it actually is..

 

If its a controlled substance, federal law applies: "http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/21cfr/21usc/index.html"

 

Most states have their own version of the law.

 

Some states have laws regarding non-controlled substance... Such as Florida Statute 893.13(2)(a)(7) - although there have been questions of constitutionality there, but then again if you are in court with a lawyer arguing constitutionality, you have already spent a great deal of time and money. That law would apply upon disembarkation in Miami for example. I also found a similar law in Maine (for stops in Bar Harbor) and California just as examples.

 

Now, unless you get Officer Angry or do something else to involve law enforcement, is it really likely to be an issue? Probably not. But that's not the same as something not being illegal.

 

 

 

I won't argue the point with you but it is not at all illegal to carry meds outside of the bottle that they come from the pharmacy in.

[triptolemus]

Yep, yep and yep.

 

More bad advice from the z guy... typical.

[SuiteCruisin14]

I take several drugs along with controlled substances. Depending on the length of my travels, I pack them in containers with the day on the front so I can remember to take them.

 

I do not carry the original bottles but I do have Walgreen's print out the exact prescription info for me.

This info allows my companion to have access to the exact dosages in case of emergency, (never needed it Thank God), and a contact in the states, (Walgreens), if we need more info.

 

I have never had an issue.

 

Lynda

[Heronymous]

Where do you live that it is illegal to carry all Rx pills outside of the bottle???

In most states even for narcotics it is enough to just carry the RX.

Even the TSA site says pills do not have to be in original containers.

 

Like I said before it varies by state, here is some law relating to mine. I also wrote the local police asking about this years ago since I had questions about it and was told that in New York State if you are pulled over for any reason and are found to be carrying prescription medication on your person and do not have it stored in its properly labeled bottle your can be arrested at the officers discretion.

 

That's enough for me to not test the theory.

 

 

http://codes.findlaw.com/ny/public-health-law/pbh-sect-3345.html

 

New York Public Health Law § 3345. Possession of controlled substances by ultimate users original container

 

Except for the purpose of current use by the person or animal for whom such substance was prescribed or dispensed, it shall be unlawful for an ultimate user of controlled substances to possess such substance outside of the original container in which it was dispensed.

[NMLady]

...

 

Except for the purpose of current use by the person or animal for whom such substance was prescribed or dispensed, it shall be unlawful for an ultimate user of controlled substances to possess such substance outside of the original container in which it was dispensed.

 

"Current use". If I'm going on a 28 day cruise and have 28 days' worth of meds in individual small ziplocks, that is current use.

At any rate we also carry pharmacy printout copies of al Rx. None of the Rx are controlled substances. If they were, we'd carry those in original bottle.

We've never had a problem, including being randomly selected for customs screening.

[Aquahound]

No, there is no federal law requiring prescription meds be in their original bottles. You only need to be able to show proof of prescription. Labels will do. That's federal law.

 

No, most states do not require they be in their original bottles. There are several, and I don't remember which states they are, but most do not have have such a law. When I was in class on this subject, I seem to remember it being around 15-20 states.

 

Heronymous - I get what you're saying and perhaps NY is one of the states that requires it but like I said, most do not. Yours and bbryan5's blanket statements of it being required is not accurate unless the OP is in one of the states that requires it.

 

OP - just do a Google search of your own state and the state you are flying to. If it's Florida, I can assure you that no such law exists, and CBP also does not require it.

[bilmo]

DW and I have this discussion every trip out of country. She takes our pills for the duration plus, but I carry copies of the RXs. Once we changed planes in Mexico City and she got sniffed out by a drug dog (we have one controlled med each). Not sure if it was the drugs or the smell of the dog treats we left for our puppies at the dog sitters. Lots of discussions in rapid Spanish and it wasn't looking good for the home team. All of a sudden they were gone---bigger fish to catch we guessed.:eek:

[Aquahound]

DW and I have this discussion every trip out of country. She takes our pills for the duration plus, but I carry copies of the RXs. Once we changed planes in Mexico City and she got sniffed out by a drug dog (we have one controlled med each). Not sure if it was the drugs or the smell of the dog treats we left for our puppies at the dog sitters. Lots of discussions in rapid Spanish and it wasn't looking good for the home team. All of a sudden they were gone---bigger fish to catch we guessed.:eek:

 

..which brings up another good point. Check the laws of the countries being visited, especially if you are flying there or through there!

[bbryan5]

Unfortunately this is an incorrect statement

 

Unfortunately your WRONG :p

 

 

A person is not authorized to possess his or her own prescription drug unless the drug is “in the container in which it was delivered by the person selling or dispensing the drug.” 17-A M.R.S. section 1107-A (2), 22 M.R.S. section 2383-B (1)

 

and the law also states..

 

There is only one circumstance in which a person is authorized to possess his or her own prescription drug outside its original container, and that is “when [the drug is] in use.” Id. As soon as a prescription drug is removed from its original pill bottle, the person who possesses it commits a crime unless the drug is, at that point, “in use.”

 

 

and info from a lawyer...

 

State law (RCW 69.50.309) requires that pills obtained through a prescription must be maintained in the original container provided by the pharmacy/doctor/etc. who distributed them. It doesn't mean that storing your medicine in another container is itself a crime, but it could be probable cause for a charge, and it could make your pills subject to seizure and possible forfeiture.

 

Nobody bothers to mention this to the countless folks who separate their pills out in 7-day containers, of course.

 

 

AND ANOTHER STATE LAW

 

"69.50.309

Containers.

 

A person to whom or for whose use any controlled substance has been prescribed, sold, or dispensed by a practitioner, and the owner of any animal for which such controlled substance has been prescribed, sold, or dispensed may lawfully possess it only in the container in which it was delivered to him or her by the person selling or dispensing the same."

Edited May 21, 2016 by bbryan5

[bbryan5]

69.50.309

containers.

 

A person to whom or for whose use any controlled substance has been prescribed, sold, or dispensed by a practitioner, and the owner of any animal for which such controlled substance has been prescribed, sold, or dispensed may lawfully possess it only in the container in which it was delivered to him or her by the person selling or dispensing the same.

 

 

people that don't know what they are talking about should probably keep their mouths shut. The incorrect info being spewed here can get a person locked up.

[Aquahound]

bbryan5, you really should work on comprehension before making some of the snide comments you do.

 

What law are you quoting?

 

It looks a lot like a state law and if it is, how is any of what I said wrong?

 

Read my post again. Nothing that I said is incorrect.

[bbryan5]

bbryan5, you really should work on comprehension before making some of the snide comments you do.

 

What law are you quoting?

 

It looks a lot like a state law and if it is, how is any of what I said wrong?

 

Read my post again. Nothing that I said is incorrect.

 

 

 

Show me where I said I was referencing you. Please, show me...

 

and my comprehension skills are in fine shape. Worry about yourself. :D

[riclop]

So daughter has a ton of Meds for seizures and several other medical issues. We have them in a pill container fir 2 weeks at a time. Do we have to have the original containers or can we use our box?

We have pictures on our phones of the Meds in original containers with Dr names and dosing info.

 

We also have 2 members in family with epi pens they carry. Any issues there?

They just carry the pens in their plastic containers.

 

What do we have to do with them, anything?

 

Thanks, YO

 

We put them in containers.

[NMLady]

people that don't know what they are talking about should probably keep their mouths shut. The incorrect info being spewed here can get a person locked up.

 

Seems like you are referring to just 'controlled substance' but most meds are not that so most of the posts are referring to regular meds not controlled ones. So the information is correct for non-controlled substances.

Edited May 22, 2016 by NMLady

[bbryan5]

Seems like you are referring to just 'controlled substance' but most meds are not that so most of the posts are referring to regular meds not controlled ones. So the information is correct for non-controlled substances.

 

 

Right, but some are. My point is people here were giving bad info, that could end up with someone in handcuffs. If people don't know the laws, they shouldn't offer up bogus, incorrect info. I'd hate to see someone here get in trouble over this because they took bad advice from uninformed people, like the quote below:

 

 

Whatever works for you...there is no law they must be in the original bottles

Edited May 22, 2016 by bbryan5

[NMLady]

Right, but some are. My point is people here were giving bad info, that could end up with someone in handcuffs. If people don't know the laws, they shouldn't offer up bogus, incorrect info. I'd hate to see someone here get in trouble over this because they took bad advice from uninformed people.

 

The laws vary from state to state so to quote the law from YOUR state does not necessarily apply to my state or to many other states as well. Just because your state is strict does not make our info bogus or incorrect.

[bbryan5]

The laws vary from state to state so to quote the law from YOUR state does not necessarily apply to my state or to many other states as well. Just because your state is strict does not make our info bogus or incorrect.

 

AGAIN, statements such as

Whatever works for you...there is no law they must be in the original bottles

could end up getting someone arrested. I was trying to help people to avoid that. I'm not sure why that bothers you so much :confused:

[NMLady]

AGAIN, statements such as could end up getting someone arrested. I was trying to help people to avoid that. I'm not sure why that bothers you so much :confused:

 

It bothers me because you make sweeping generalizations that do not apply in many cases, and accuse others of 'bogus, incorrect' info when we could say the same about your info which takes law from ONE state to apply everywhere.

 

For non-controlled substances it is actually true in most states that 'there is no law the meds must be in the original bottle'.

Edited May 22, 2016 by NMLady

[bbryan5]

It bothers me because you make sweeping generalizations that do not apply in many cases, and accuse others of 'bogus, incorrect' info when we could say the same about your info which takes law from ONE state to apply everywhere.

 

LOL I have better things to do than argue with a cranky old lady on a cruise site. I'll let you have the last word, GOODNIGHT :D