Will TSA check my medication?

TSA allows larger amounts of medically necessary liquids, gels, and aerosols in reasonable quantities for your trip, but you must declare them to TSA officers at the checkpoint for inspection.



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Medication is usually screened by X-ray; however, if a passenger does not want a medication X-rayed, he or she may ask for a visual inspection instead. This request must be made before any items are sent through the X-ray tunnel.

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Medications can be packed in a pill box. However, it is usually best to keep medicines in labeled containers provided by your pharmacist. TSA does not require medications to be in their original, labeled, prescription containers. However, using the original containers may limit delays or additional questioning.

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Customs inspectors use specially trained dogs to sniff out drugs and other contraband. Additionally, agents may take the dogs onboard the plane after the passengers have departed. If a passenger is carrying drugs on his or her body, the dogs might pick up the scent lingering on the seat.

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Can you take unmarked pills on a plane? You can take unmarked pills with you on a plane in carry-on and checked baggage. Your medication does not have to be in its original packaging.

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Include your prescription and over-the-counter medicines in your travel health kit and take enough to last your entire trip, plus extra in case of travel delays. Pack medications in a carry on in case your luggage is lost or delayed. Keep medicines in their original, labeled containers.

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They are designed to detect “metallic and nonmetallic threat items,” according to the TSA. Those are things like explosives or knives made out of materials other than metal, like ceramics, says Malvini Redden.

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At the Airport Security Checkpoint
You can tell the screening officer about your prescription drugs or present a written list. You may wish to bring doctor's notes, original prescription bottles or containers, and other documentation to make the screening process go more quickly.

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Ask your doctor for a letter on their letterhead explaining your medical treatment and necessity, translated into the host country's language, if necessary. Pack enough medication to last the length of your trip and no more than personal-use quantities.

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You can bring your medication in pill or solid form in unlimited amounts as long as it is screened. You can travel with your medication in both carry-on and checked baggage. It's highly recommended you place these items in your carry-on in the event that you need immediate access.

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3. Take your medication at least an hour before your flight. If you're taking antihistamines, decongestants, or over-the-counter pain medicine like ibuprofen or acetaminophen, it's important to take your medication at least an hour before your flight so it has time to work before your plane takes off.

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When drugs are confiscated in airports, TSA officers usually refer to law enforcement to secure the confiscated substances and store them in a warehouse known as a crime laboratory. Here, the drugs will be tested, organized, and shelved for trials.

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Do customs open every package to verify information? No, customs officers will not open up your package or packages without good reason. Every package is put through a scanner machine, or an x-ray machine, to verify that the items you are shipping match your customs forms.

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162.6, which states that, All persons, baggage and merchandise arriving in the Customs territory of the United States from places outside thereof are liable to inspection by a CBP officer. Unless exempt by diplomatic status, all persons entering the United States, including U.S. citizens, are subject to examination ...

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“Millimeter wave imaging technology does not detect items inside a passenger's body or penetrate the skin,” Langston says. That said, Malvini Redden says body scanners would also not pick up anything else stashed inside a body cavity, such as drugs or hazardous liquids.

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