The TikTok medication hack that could see you banned from your flight this summer
PACKING for your holiday can be a chore.
An when you’re trying to cram toiletries and a dozen outfits into a tiny carry-on, any space-saving hack can seem like a godsend.
But experts have pleaded that you don’t implement one making the rounds on TikTok this summer, as it could send your carefully laid holiday plans down the drain.
The recent TikTok video recommended travellers to swap their medicine packaging for Tic Tac containers to save space while packing.
The app user claimed it would also make it easier to dispense your meds when you need them, recommending you ask for an extra medication label from your pharmacist and tack in onto your Tic Tac bottle.
But Steve Brownett-Gale from the pharmaceutical packaging firm Origin warned against using the ‘life hack’, as it could get you barred from your flight this summer and it could even put children you’re travelling with in danger.
“With the summer holidays in full swing, holidaymakers are naturally on the hunt for tricks and tips to make travelling abroad as easy as possible,” he acknowledged.
“However, one TikToker’s recommendation to swap your medication packaging for a Tic Tac box could see you banned from your flight.
“While the smaller container might marginally take up less space in your luggage, most countries require to you keep your medication from its original packaging when travelling overseas,” he noted.
So a pill laden Tic Tac container might elicit a few unintended questions when you’re going through security checks.
Steve said: “Airport security may not be able to identify the medication if it is not in its original packaging or if the label is not clear or legible.
“This lack of identification could raise concerns and they may ask for additional information or documentation, delaying or even preventing you from boarding the flight,” he explained.
It would be pretty agonising to miss a flight just because of a hack you thought would save you time and effort.
Swapping your drug packaging also runs the risk of endangering your kids, as they could mistake your prescription medicine for a sweet treat.
And Tic Tac bottles are much easier to get into than your typical pill containers.
According to Steve: “Dispensing medication into easy-to-access sweet packets is also highly discouraged, especially if you’re travelling with children.
“Pharmaceutical packaging is specially designed to keep children safe and prevent them from accidentally ingesting dangerous substances. It can be all too easy for children to mistake tablets for sweets, which could be fatal for the wrong medication and dosage.”
On top of this all, you could also diminish the effectiveness of your medication by putting it into a different container than it was intended for.
As Steve put it: “Removing medication from its original packaging could compromise its effectiveness. Light, moisture and air can quickly degrade the medication’s stability and potency, which the original packaging is designed to protect the product from.”
The pharmaceutical experts warnings very much mirror NHS advice directed at UK travellers, as it stressed that you should keep your medicines and equipment in the original packaging with labels and information leaflet.
The Fit for Travel portal had these medicine tips for holidaymakers:
- Make sure you take enough supplies for the whole of your trip and include extra for unexpected delays, damage or loss
- If your medicine needs to be kept cool you can use a thermos flask, cool pack or insulated pouch.
- Carry your medicine in your hand luggage as suitcases in the hold can become delayed or lost in transit – split your medicines between bags so that if one bag goes missing you will still have some medicines at hand
- For prescription medicines, always take a copy of your prescription
Steve added that you should check the the rules and regulations of the country you’re visiting regarding medicines ahead of time.
“Some popular summer destinations, such as Dubai, have different classifications for controlled medications,” he explained.
Steve gave the example of prescription antidepressants or sleeping tablets, saying you may you may be required to bring a letter of proof that the medication has been prescribed to you before you travel.
“You are also not permitted to bring more than three months’ supply of medication on a flight when departing from the UK,” he stressed.
“If you plan to be abroad for longer than this period and need to bring a larger volume of medication, you’ll have to apply for a personal license from the Home Office.”