Carrying Unlabeled Meds in WA? What You Need To Know

I recently purchased one of those cute Lululemon fanny packs, and I love it as a daily use bag! But the bags are rather small, and I had to adjust a few things in order to use this fanny as an everyday purse. One of the things I adjusted was how I carry my antidepressants.

Now you might be thinking, how would you have to adjust carrying meds with a smaller bag. Well, I took them out of the container they were being kept in and placed the pills into a zip lock baggy to reduce “bulk.” but then that got me wondering…

“That’s typically fine if the medication is in its original bottle or other packaging with the prescription medication label on it. However, people often move their prescription meds into easier-to-open, generic containers. If they’re traveling, they may organize all of their pills and supplements by day in a travel-sized dispenser. They may even just keep a few loose somewhere. Typically, the law accounts for what’s often called “reasonable repackaging.”” – Source

“Whatever the situation, if you’re pulled over and caught with scheduled drugs that are someone else’s prescription, the potential legal ramifications can be serious.” – Source

Now maybe my ziplock bag full of antidepressants isn’t in “reasonable packaging,” I may move them into a smaller sized bag with a label. but here’s another great idea, if you insist on carrying your pills in a different container, maybe keep the paperwork where your dr. prescribed the meds with, in your car? I don’t like grey area scenarios but having proof that the medication belongs to you and the meds have their labeling on the pill themselves, we should be fine.

The 5 Most Confusing Washington State Driving Laws