gail

Were the medications of the type that are abuseable or have a street value - these might include any narcotic, ritalin, some anti-seizure medications? Even if they are medically necessary, someone travelling with, for example, Percocet or Oxycontin, might reasonably expect at least curiosity from TSA - just as they would if a routine traffic stop revealed such bottles plainly visible on the front seat of a car. If she was carrying, for example, high blood pressure medications or antibiotics, I am really puzzled.

While the TSA is not supposed to be masquerading as ATF or DEA, the regulations do say in a bottle with professionally prepared label. I am just surprised that she had a problem, since few others here have reported such and this is a frequent topic of discussion.

dwooddon

I don't know what regs TSA has or enforces, however, in many states, it is a criminal violation to possess prescription medications unless they are in a container labeled by the pharmacy with a the required labels and in the possessor's name. I realize many people carry meds in a "daily" container but that does not make it less against the law.

In my experience, most police officers will not give someone a hard time about it as long as they can identify the type of medication it is and it is not a drug of abuse.

CAPH52

Thanks, Debi!

Cali

I put my meds in separate little plastic bags and then label the outside and put the whole sheet from the pharamcy (with my name, Dr. name, med name, etc) in the bag with each med. I never take them out of my carryon (non are liquids) and have not had a problem. I would not settle for a TSA person taking and discarding my meds - I would INSIST that they send a supervisor or someone with authority to tell me why I can't have them with me. I too need these meds and it is hard to get them refilled in a strange city. I think a few (and definitely not all) TSA employees are on a power trip.

Cali

Ooops, meant to say none are liquids. Also want to mention that some insurance cmpanies will not refill them sooner than a set time so you cannot get them refilled and have insurance pay just because someone at TSA threw them out.

ChristieP

EXACTLY, Cali! My insurance watches my refill dates like a hawk, and I can't refill less than 20 days after the last. One of my prescriptions is $300+ a month (without insurance) if I paid cash for it! I agree that I'd want to speak to a supervisor before I threw my meds in the trash!

1JAR

I am a healthcare profesional and have seen posts like this on Fodors before..

I flew that first week of the new
"liquids" requirement and the TSA Agents pulled me out of the line away from the rest of my bags including my purse and took everyone of my prescriptions out of the plastic bag (some were asthma inhalers not in the original box but I did have the box with the RX label).

Now I carry my own Rxs in a seperate (from the liquids) plastic bag and I look the TSA agent right in the eye, smile politely and tell them I am declaring "prescribed medications" as I put the plastic bags in the bin. So far so good.

While for the most part I think everyone, passengers and TSA agents should "put their best effort forward"
unfortunately I think this is the tip of the proverbial iceberg on privacy issues we wil give up in the new world disorder of Terrorism and Drug Trafficing

Cira

Again, and I am sure many of you agree with me.

I do not see where declaring prescribed medications is going to make us safer from the bad guys.

If anything, it infringes upon our privacy rights, as well as the doctor's by the way. You just KNOW the government, somewhere, imho, is keeping a database of who we are and what we take. If not, then why ask for your full name and then your phone number when you call them under the guise of, "in case we get cut off"? They think we are idiots.

I think my SIL couldn't win either way. If she kept them in her carry on - as she did - she might have been suspected of trying to get through without "declaring" them (whatever they think that is). If she puts in on the bin for the world to see and she DOES "declare" them, then they give her the third degree like a drug addict. Her husband wants to take this to the media, because as the other poster said, this is ONLY the tip of the iceberg when it comes to our privacy. We might as well live in a communist country!!!!!!!!!!! How sad.

wtm003

<<We might as well live in a communist country!!!!!!!!!!!>>

For pete's sake, stop the drama. I'm not saying this didn't happen, but I also think I'm not hearing the full story.

I've never had a problem carrying medication through security, but I've only had one or two pill bottles. How many bottles were in your SIL's carry-on? How many pills in the pill pouches? Did she talk to a supervisor?

TheWeasel

<this is ONLY the tip of the iceberg when it comes to our privacy. We might as well live in a communist country!!!!!!!!!!!>

I agree completely. You must be aware that the government is tracking everything you do, including your internet usage and postings here, so to be totally safe you shouldn't post anything on internet forums.

Jed

I take it that the govt inspecting our luggage, asking questions, and scanning our bodies is infringment of our privacy rights.

If anyone is in favor of the real old days, when anyone could board a plane with no questions asked, no checking of identification, no inspection of luggage, I'd like to know.

I expect to get a lot of flack, but I wonder if anyone will actually answer my question.

NeoPatrick

Why is it that the ones who cry the loudest about personal rights violations seem to be the same ones who cry the loudest when something happens because preventative measures weren't taken to protect them?

If I'm doing nothing wrong, I have no qualms about being checked. If I'm guilty of doing something I shouldn't, I'd probably put up a big fuss.

It's like those drunken driver traffic stops. Those who haven't been drinking and are driving seem much less bothered by the inconvenience than those who have been drinking and are driving anyway, but scream that their personal rights have been violated by being stopped for no reason. I wonder why that is?

Dukey

I agree with Neo.

As to you, Jed...
"I take it that the govt inspecting our luggage, asking questions, and scanning our bodies is infringment of our privacy rights."

I think a lot of us wouldn't mind it so much ifwe thought it actually worked.

semiramis

I have never had a problem travelling with meds BUT I always carry mine as advised in the original labelled bottles (in a clear plastic zip-lock bag in my carry-on).

Jed

As to you, Dukey....

How many planes have been hijacked since 9/11?

Do you favor no questions, etc.?

NeoPatrick

"How many planes have been hijacked since 9/11?"

So are you suggesting there have been none because of the precautions, or just that none happened? There weren't a lot in the five years before 9/11 without the precautions.

Every day I turn around three times and whistle with crackers in my mouth so that I won't be murdered today. Guess what. It really works because I haven't been.

How does one determine how much good the precautions are doing?