Think Twice Before Trying This Space-Saving Medication Packing Hack

When it comes to vacation prep, we love a space-saving packing hack as much as the next person. After all, who wants to lug around unnecessary weight or spend precious beach time shuffling through a suitcase looking for their favorite bathing suit?

From splurging on the best packing cubes to prowling the Internet for brilliant DIY solutions, there's no shortage of ways to pack a well-organized, space-efficient suitcase. But experts caution against one space-saving hack that's currently making the rounds on TikTok: using a Tic Tac container to store medications.

If you're on one or several medications, it can feel like you're taking up precious real estate by keeping all of them in their original bottles or packaging when you pack for a trip. But moving medications into a candy container has a number of serious consequences that are most definitely not worth it. Namely, security wants to be able to identify your medications. Putting meds in a Tic Tac container also poses a risk to kids.

Nothing's worse than having your vacation end before it's even begun. But that could be a potential ramification of not storing your medications in their original packaging. Airport security needs to be able to easily identify the medications you're traveling with — and if they can't, you may not be able to board your flight.

" ... [L]ack of identification could raise concerns and [security] may ask for additional information or documentation, delaying or even preventing you from boarding the flight," Steve Brownett-Gale of the pharmaceutical packaging firm Origin explained to The Sun, emphasizing that in most countries it's a requirement that your medication remain in its original packaging during overseas trips.

In fact, some countries even require that you bring a letter of proof from your doctor for certain medications. If you're heading overseas, Brownett-Gale advises that you check the rules and regulations for medications before departure so you can ensure that you have all the necessary paperwork.

Yes, there is something even worse than missing your flight over medication packaging. If you're traveling with kids (or if you'll find yourself in any scenario where kids may have access to your belongings), placing medication in a candy container puts them at great risk.

Medication bottles are designed to be childproof for a reason. Certain medications are dangerous for children to ingest at all, and if they think they're consuming candy (which is reasonable for a kid who finds a candy container), they could potentially ingest a lethal amount of the medication.

"Medical packaging often incorporates child-resistant features such as anti-twist child locks, to prevent accidental ingestion by curious young children, who may mistake medicine for a sweet treat," Mitesh Desai, director at Landys Chemist, told Irish News. "When you remove medicine from its child-resistant packaging, you increase the risk of accidental poisoning or the ingestion of harmful substances by children."