You have a legal medication prescribed to treat a diagnosed health condition. If you occasionally take your meds with you when you leave the house, do you transport them in a way that North Carolina police do not deem suspicious?
The Recovery Village explains how to have prescribed meds on your person legally. Learn how to keep from having another close call or an initial negative interaction with law enforcement.
Pills in a bottle
You must keep your medication in its original bottle. Further, that bottle must have your name and the prescription’s dosage, medication label, amount and concentration. You also want your physician’s and pharmacy’s information on the label.
By carrying pills in a bottle with the above information, you show police that you possess the medication legally. Any other storage method could result in criminal charges.
Pills out of the bottle
Say that you use a toiletry kit, pocket or another non-medical storage device to transport your medication. Improperly storing prescription pills could result in illegal use and possession charges. If you feel that your pill bottle is too bulky to carry with you, talk to your pharmacist or physician about how to take your medication out of the house legally. You do not want to take the unnecessary risk of facing financial penalties or a misdemeanor charge.
Pills that belong to someone else
Rather than your own medication, you may take a few pills of a friend’s or relative’s prescription to treat the same medical or health condition. While you may not take the medication for recreational purposes, you stand a good chance of facing legal penalties if police catch you with someone else’s medication.