Don't sweat the weight of a lead bag. It's not THAT heavy!

Okay okay - just purchased a film guard bag from LLBean. I am reformed. Will still bring the smile.
Thanks everyone for all the good and thoughtful advice.

I'd relax. Sorry serious photographers but I don't think it makes a whole lot of difference. Unless you're using a really high ASA film, you shouldn't have any problems. I've taken my little Olympus and my baggie of film everywhere with no problem. Since sheparding my family through the process is a higher priority, film gets stuck where ever it fits. I've done it throughout the US, Asia and England. I haven't used a lead bag since 9/11. The Security lines at the airport are long enough without a everybody getting their film hand-examined. (I take off my shoes in line for the same reason.) However, I do make a point of never taking film on a trip that I didn't use on a previous trip. Of course, there's no sense taking all these procautions if you get your film developed at Walgreens.

You can get a fabulous digital with great zoom if you're willing to pay the $. My husband just proved it. Takes great pictures.

We use 400 film and carry it in our carry-on packs.
On a China trip we did have the film in lead containers (bought from TravelSmith) because I was leary of the calibration of the equipment if we had been forced to put it through the scanner.

On succeeding European Trips we haven't bothered and have had no problem.

We get our film processed at Saveon (=Osco) who send it to Kodak for Perfect Touch Processing. Pictures come out fine.

I haven't had much luck in labeling the canisters, so I buy round stick on labels which I number before I leave home and stick on the cannister before I put it in the camera. Also I use different color labels for my wife's and my cannisters. I then write that number on the envelope that I turn in to be processed. Up to now it has worked :-B