# Illegal to carry scrips outside the bottle?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-to-carry-scrips-outside-the-bottle/446436>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 22, 2008, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-to-carry-scrips-outside-the-bottle/446436 "2008-04-22T19:10:26Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\
**Post date:** [April 22, 2008, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-to-carry-scrips-outside-the-bottle/446436/1 "2008-04-22T19:10:26Z")

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I’m currently taking a couple of prescriptions and, as has been my habit in the past, keep a few in a pillbox in my backpack in case I forget to take them in the morning or need one during the day. I was talking with a friend about it and he said that his brother, who’s a pharmacist, told him never to do that because it’s illegal to carry prescription drugs unless they’re in the pharmacy bottle.

I had to call bullshit on it, because if it were true, every pharmacy in the country is facilitating breaking the law by selling those little “pills per day” compartment boxes. But his faith in his brother’s word is unwavering. Can someone point me toward a source for debunking this noise?

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**Author:** ![JayRx1981](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/71e660/32.png) [@JayRx1981](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JayRx1981)\
**Post date:** [April 22, 2008, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-to-carry-scrips-outside-the-bottle/446436/2 "2008-04-22T19:17:41Z")

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It’s illegal to _dispense_ pills not in a labeled bottle or blister-pak from an outpatient pharmacy. That rule doesn’t apply to storage of a patient’s own medication in a non-labeled container (in any state that I’m aware of).

I’ll try to find a relevant Ohio statute later if I can at work.

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**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\
**Post date:** [April 22, 2008, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-to-carry-scrips-outside-the-bottle/446436/3 "2008-04-22T19:25:29Z")

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[This](http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/164105/why_you_shouldnt_carry_prescription.html) article covers the basics though it’s not specific to any state except New York.