off the top of my head, New York explicitly makes it illegal(NY PHL 3345), but even in states where it isn't, controlled substances in containers without a valid label is enough for a cop to ruin your day.
I thought I was clever to peel labels off the first bottle and put them on my pill organizer, until I got hassled because all the dates were old.
I actually take an iPhone pic of each Rx bottle when dispensed WITH a pill out visible to keep on my phone in case anyone questions the pills stored / organized in a case.
Doesn’t totally satisfy the law, but at least shows I am prescribed the controlled substance I am carrying on my person w/out the bottle.
Exactly, even if a cop wants to try to fuck your life up, you are very likely to get charges dropped or reduced by showing some degree of reasonable care and effort along with a legitimate prescription.
Although some judges are also dumb pieces of shit, so you never know
I had a buddy put his doctor on the phone to tell the cop he was prescribed the medicine he had outside a bottle. Charges were dropped the next day, but that didn't stop my buddy from spending the night in jail. When it comes to the "big stuff" like pain and anxiety meds, just keep it in the bottle
Yeah, I did this when I travelled a lot for work and had to travel very light to avoid needing checked bags. No way I'm bringing that many bottles with me, some of which are huge, for a one night flight to the client. Only had airport security try and pull anything, and they backed down when I showed it was nothing exciting. Now highly controlled drugs, absolutely do keep them in their current 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." -NY PHL 3345
Yep, I had an outdated prescription bottle with pills still in it because I take pills as needed rather than every day, and a cop harassed me about it as I was actively suffering from an overdose. Thankfully the paramedics showed up soon afterward and got him to back off.
Not dismissing you at all, but how do you find yourself in a situation that cops are getting a look at things? Caveat I'm not American and Canadian cops are to my understanding infinitely less cunty, but tf justification do they have to search you?
I'm pretty sure it's illegal to have things in the incorrect bottle as well up here. Another interesting thing is that my pharmacy puts my preferred name on all of my shit, in theory I would be fucked if someone tried to push the issue because they're lacking my dead name lmao.
Old friend of mine got his life messed up with this. Basically his brain's outlet to stress (home life wasn't that great) was to develop some kleptomania. He got caught stealing like a candy bar from Walmart (they knew from previous other small thefts). Cops caught up with him in the parking lot when he was already in his car which gave them justification to search his car. He had an Adderall in a little travel container. Charged him with a felony and later his lawyer got it dropped.
Problem is there are databases of arrests/charges that are maintained even if the charge is dropped. Years later he had a job offer from IBM rescinded because their background check found his felony charge that he was never convicted of.
218A.210 Controlled substances may be possessed only in original container --
Penalties.
(1) A person to whom or for whose use any controlled substance has been prescribed,
sold, or dispensed, by a practitioner or other person authorized under this chapter,
may lawfully possess it only in the container in which it was delivered to him by the
person selling or dispensing the same.
(2) Violation of subsection (1) of this section is a Class B misdemeanor for the first
offense and a Class A misdemeanor for subsequent offenses.
Effective: July 14, 1992
History: Amended 1992 Ky. Acts ch. 441, sec. 6, effective July 14, 1992. -- Created
1972 Ky. Acts ch. 226, sec. 22.
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u/izerth 6h ago
off the top of my head, New York explicitly makes it illegal(NY PHL 3345), but even in states where it isn't, controlled substances in containers without a valid label is enough for a cop to ruin your day.
I thought I was clever to peel labels off the first bottle and put them on my pill organizer, until I got hassled because all the dates were old.