Amtrak & Prescription Meds

[NW cannonball]

The most practical and likely reason to carry the original prescription, or pill-bottle label, or pharmacy drug-warning and prescription printout (long as it may be)

If the train jolts and your pills spill (maybe on a not-very-clean restroom floor, or down the drain, whatever) or you lose your meds any way while travelling.

Good to have the prescription info handy in your purse or shirt pocket when you need replacement meds really soon while travelling.

The "drug enforcers" problem is minor for most people. The "lost my meds, need replacement" is more likely.

So keep the paperwork with you, to make replacement meds easier and faster to get

 

[Ryan]

I doubt that you'll actually be able to get an already-filled prescription filled again from a pharmacy in a different city. More likely you're going to call the doctor for them to send over a new one to wherever you're located. And then deal with insurance paying for a second prescription.

 

[NW cannonball]

I doubt that you'll actually be able to get an already-filled prescription filled again from a pharmacy in a different city. More likely you're going to call the doctor for them to send over a new one to wherever you're located. And then deal with insurance paying for a second prescription.

Exactly so. But having the details available will make everything much easier, both with your home pharmacy and doctor, and with wherever you might be needing new prescription

<<edit>> Every detail helps when you're spending time on hold and wanting to get serious meds soon far from home <<

 

[Guest]

I like Amtrak's policy. Smoking of any kind produces cancerous tar fumes. People can put anything in their lungs that they wish but they are not entitled to make anyone else breathe the noxious fumes. As for Marijuana, legal or not; I think that the stuff is pure garbage.

I would agree.

I would hope that smoking marijuana on-board would be covered by Amtrak's rule against smoking, period, even in Colorado.

 

[Ryan]

It is.

 

[NW cannonball]

Good.

 

[SarahZ]

I like Amtrak's policy. Smoking of any kind produces cancerous tar fumes. People can put anything in their lungs that they wish but they are not entitled to make anyone else breathe the noxious fumes. As for Marijuana, legal or not; I think that the stuff is pure garbage.

I would agree.
I would hope that smoking marijuana on-board would be covered by Amtrak's rule against smoking, period, even in Colorado.

I said it's against the rules several posts ago.

 

[Ryan]

So did I, maybe the guest was high and missed it.

 

[user 1215]

Dude.

I'm hungry.

 

[NW cannonball]

Dude.

I'm hungry.

 

[Phil S]

Good.

At least we agree on some things.

 

[neroden]

"Asset forfeiture" has turned most cops into borderline criminals. They want your stuff and will lie cheat and steal to get it.

In certain districts, there's no "borderline" about it; some police departments have just turned into criminal organizations. It's very much a matter of exactly what police department you're looking at; there are some rural Texas districts which are infamous, and then there's Baltimore, Philadelphia, LAPD, LASD....

They say "a fish rots from the head", and a police department with a corrupt chief will go completely rotten very quickly; while a department whose chief has an "I don't tolerate any sort of abusive behavior by police, and I don't care what the police union thinks about that" attitude can stay pretty clean. The latter (such as King County Washington) are unfortunately relatively rare. Within NYC, some people have started running more detailed stats and concluded that the corruption is actually precinct-specific, with some precinct captains being clean and others being dirty.

 

[TinCan782]

Speaking of "asset forfeiture", this link was posted over on Train Orders today...

http://www.abqjournal.com/?p=580107?paperboy=loggedin630am&utm_source=Albuquerque+Journal+Newsletters&utm_campaign=a34eb8d6e6-paperboy_daily_150506_062802&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_2dcf4c82cd-a34eb8d6e6-108030741

 

[Ryan]

Unbelievable that such a thing is actually legal.

That's why you don't give consent, kids.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

You don't need to give consent. They can simply take your belongings regardless of what you say. The only thing that's unbelievable is that so many millions of Americans still have no clue how their own country actually operates. Ignorance is bliss as they say.

 

[Ryan]

When Rivers replied that he was headed to LA to make a music video, the agent asked to search his bags. Rivers complied.

Witholding consent would have made it more difficult, and potentially easier to get the money back.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Withholding consent is a crapshoot rather than a solution. The authorities may back off or they may find another reason to search you or they may simply confiscate your belongings while they wait on a warrant. Nor does withholding consent change the fundamental process for recovering your valuables. You'll still have to prove your belongings were received, transported, and intended for use in a lawful manner. Despite claims and assumptions to the contrary civil forfeiture remains ripe for perpetual abuse. How are you supposed to adequately defend yourself after they freeze or confiscate every last dime you had available to you? Civil forfeiture is a tool for enriching budgets and preventing justice being served. It is anathema to everything we claim to represent. That being said it's not just a US issue either. Britain has similar laws and precedents allowing for lawful theft by the authorities.

 

[Ryan]

While it certainly isn't a silver bullet (the cops can also talk to the conductor, and if (s)he's willing to play ball, force you to consent or be put off the train), it increases your odds of not ending up in this guy's situation.

 

[FormerOBS]

If it's illegal for a person to carry prescription meds in those daily/hourly containers, then about 95% of Auto Train's Senior passengers need to be thrown in the slammer on bread & water. We know what hardened criminals and drug fiends they are, don't we? I, for one, can't think of ANY POSSIBLE WAY the police can make better use of their time. Can you?

Tom