Prescription Jail

[Don Kehote]

On 4/18/2019 at 12:02 AM, august1963 said:

I was just reading some of the cruise rules.....they state that if you're bringing a prescription on board it has to be in it's original container.  Has anybody ever had trouble with this?  It's much easier to use my Sunday thru Saturday pill dispenser than it is to bring a bunch of bottles with me.  

This might be the wrong place to ask - most people here are more concerned with trying to bring a bunch of bottles with them.

[aka-texas]

On ‎4‎/‎18‎/‎2019 at 6:46 AM, Purvis1231 said:

Carnival does not care for about your medications but Customs and the DEA as well as state authorities do care. They are on the outlook for people who bought narcotics in ports so I would follow the rules certainly with controlled drugs. Also I would never walk around in Mexico or other ports with unlabeled drugs where the police do not need probable cause to search a visitor and are on the lookout of an easy mark to shakedown. 

Customs, DEA and State authorities do not care about a 7 day supply of your RX drugs. They wont even look twice at you. That is not what they are looking for. I know this, because I are one. 🙂 And why would you carry your RX drugs with you in port? That is not a good idea. Put them in your pill pack, leave them in your bathroom, and don't worry.

[coevan]

On 4/19/2019 at 5:14 AM, ray98 said:

There is nothing new about that process and it is also the law.  The original container with the prescription information from a Pharmacist is needed to be legal.

 

 

Who's law? not TSA, not the cruise line

[Aquahound]

On ‎4‎/‎19‎/‎2019 at 6:14 AM, ray98 said:

There is nothing new about that process and it is also the law.  The original container with the prescription information from a Pharmacist is needed to be legal.

 

Negative.  There is no federal law in the United States requiring prescription meds be in the original containers.

 

Here is the info straight from CBP.  They say "should," not "shall."  Big difference.

 

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/1160/~/traveling-with-medication

[Theosprey247]

I always take my daughters meds in their original bottle only cause they are considered narcotics (thanks hipsters). 

[tonit964]

27 minutes ago, aka-texas said:

Customs, DEA and State authorities do not care about a 7 day supply of your RX drugs. They wont even look twice at you. That is not what they are looking for. I know this, because I are one. 🙂 And why would you carry your RX drugs with you in port? That is not a good idea. Put them in your pill pack, leave them in your bathroom, and don't worry.

Finally, the voice of reason.

This is what I was trying to say on a different thread about prescription medications, I'm not a DEA, etc agent though.

Even if you had to take a pill while in port on an excursion, no one is going to know at all. 

 

 

Edited April 20, 2019 by tonit964
added info

[summersigh]

On 4/18/2019 at 8:06 AM, jayscore said:

I carry my meds in a 7 day (AM,PM) pill box, plus printed sheets with their names, etc. I have  never had a problem boarding airplanes or cruise ships this way.

This is our experience as well.  I go to the pharmacy when picking up the last of the scripts before the cruise and they actually print me an updated list of all our meds which we stick in the ziplock bags we carry the 7 day boxes in.

We always take extra pills just in case.  For our last 8 day we each took 2 filled seven day AM PM pill boxes.

Edited April 20, 2019 by summersigh

[ray98]

1 hour ago, Aquahound said:

 

Negative.  There is no federal law in the United States requiring prescription meds be in the original containers.

 

Here is the info straight from CBP.  They say "should," not "shall."  Big difference.

 

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/1160/~/traveling-with-medication

 

I was speaking about the physical prescription which is always on the original bottle,  you certainly must have proof of the prescription.

 

From the same notification, they say 'must'.

 

 If your medications or devices are not in their original containers, you must have a copy of your prescription with you or a letter from your doctor.

Edited April 20, 2019 by ray98

[Aquahound]

5 minutes ago, ray98 said:

 

I was speaking about the physical prescription which is always on the original bottle,  you certainly must have proof of the prescription.

 

From the same notification, they say 'must'.

 

 If your medications or devices are not in their original containers, you must have a copy of your prescription with you or a letter from your doctor.

 

Yes, you must have proof; that part is not in question.  It's the original bottle that remains not required by law. 

[coevan]

59 minutes ago, ray98 said:

I was speaking about the physical prescription which is always on the original bottle,  you certainly must have proof of the prescription.

 

 

However that is not what you said on your first post. you said it was a law, it is not a law

[grandmarnnurse]

On 4/18/2019 at 12:02 AM, august1963 said:

I was just reading some of the cruise rules.....they state that if you're bringing a prescription on board it has to be in it's original container.  Has anybody ever had trouble with this?  It's much easier to use my Sunday thru Saturday pill dispenser than it is to bring a bunch of bottles with me.  

As a retired RN, let me tell you that it’s never wise to travel without your original pill containers. You never know when an emergency injury or illness will strike you while traveling, and having the medical professionals see your exact meds and dosages are key to your health care plan. Showing us just the pills is not adequate. I always have all my medications in their original prescription bottles, and I keep them in a quart size zip lock bag in my carry on. Carrying them in your pill dispenser may be easier, but it is not the wisest choice. 

Edited April 20, 2019 by grandmarnnurse

[ray98]

2 minutes ago, coevan said:

 

 

However that is not what you said on your first post. you said it was a law, it is not a law

 

 

It most certainly is a law.  Many states have legislation in place covering it.

[Aquahound]

1 minute ago, ray98 said:

It most certainly is a law.  Many states have legislation in place covering it.

 

Yes, there are laws in some states but that's out of context.  Federal law, which is what applies when returning to the US, does not require original bottles. 

[ray98]

Once again, most states codify their laws mentioning 'original container' because traditionally that is what the prescription label is applied to when they are dispensed. 

 

So, ONCE AGAIN if the previous clarifications by me were not enough, you can take the pills out of the original container but you must obtain a separate copy of the prescription label to carry as proof of how the pills were obtained.  

[Number12]

I put my pills in small ziplock bags that are intended for beads for crafting and bring the printed sheet that the pharmacy gives me when I pick them up.  It has the description of the pill and all the information on the bottle and more.

[Aquahound]

12 minutes ago, ray98 said:

Once again, most states codify their laws mentioning 'original container' because traditionally that is what the prescription label is applied to when they are dispensed. 

 

So, ONCE AGAIN if the previous clarifications by me were not enough, you can take the pills out of the original container but you must obtain a separate copy of the prescription label to carry as proof of how the pills were obtained.  

 

"Once again," no federal law exists requiring prescription meds be in their original bottles. 

[ray98]

14 minutes ago, Aquahound said:

 

"Once again," no federal law exists requiring prescription meds be in their original bottles. 

 

 

LOL....

[Cruzaholic41]

On 4/19/2019 at 6:14 AM, ray98 said:

There is nothing new about that process and it is also the law.  The original container with the prescription information from a Pharmacist is needed to be legal.

 

It would have been easier and much more admirable had you just admitted you were wrong when you posted this rather than digging your hole deeper. 

[mpdog42]

Only on Cruise Critic 🙄...Do what you think is best!

[Purvis1231]

6 hours ago, aka-texas said:

Customs, DEA and State authorities do not care about a 7 day supply of your RX drugs. They wont even look twice at you. That is not what they are looking for. I know this, because I are one. 🙂 And why would you carry your RX drugs with you in port? That is not a good idea. Put them in your pill pack, leave them in your bathroom, and don't worry.

You are right that no one really cares about normal medications but customs are looking for illegal narcotics that many people try to purchase in Mexico and other places. You are also right that it is not a good idea to bring prescription medication into port but many people do. So I hope they keep them in the proper bottles .

Edited April 20, 2019 by Purvis1231
typo

[Sillyjilly]

Only once, in over 100 cruises, did this pose a problem for me. I was pulled out for search while leaving the ship. I had to show them my prescription bottles after they found my little "bottle" of  my daily dose in my purse.

[Purvis1231]

https://mx.usembassy.gov/information-regarding-bringing-medications-into-mexico/

 

Some common over the counter medications are illegal in Mexico. 

[WorkerBee74]

I love posts like this. “I’ve read a rule that states X.  Just wondering if it applies to me, or is it only for everyone else?”  

 

🙄

[deadmoney]

I have a size 12 shoe box that I keep my pills in.(yes, it's full😒)

The daily pill holder is much easier to travel with.

I take that and a copy of each script.

My wife's pain meds stay in the original container.

[grandmarnnurse]

So, everyone keeps discussing whether it’s a law or not a law. Did anyone bother to read what I posted? If you need to present yourself to any health care professional for an illness or injury, if unable to get detailed accurate information of your meds, having the correct prescription bottles there to give that information is priceless. I know my husband would not have a clue. Some people bring their print out of the med (from pharmacy) or take a pic of their bottles label or script—those could work. But to just throw pills in a pill container with no other accurate information of what meds are in there is not accurate. Whether it’s legal or not, that is not what I’m addressing. The person with a whole shoe box full of meds—god bless that man—-bringing that whole box is unrealistic, as it needs to be in your carry on. Printed information would work for him. For ANY narcotic pain meds, THE ORIGINAL PRESCRIPTION BOTTLE IS A MUST, and I would bet that THAT is the law.