Originally Posted by
WillCAD
Hold on a sec - since when are nitro pills on the prohibited items list?
They are vital, lifesaving, prescription medication. They are not liquids, gels, or aerosols. They are not illegal to possess anywhere in the US. They are NOT EXPLOSIVE, EVER, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE OR THEORETICAL SITUATION YOU CAN DREAM UP. They are not weapons or incendiaries. They pose ZERO threat to anyone.
I know that you've had your pills illegally confiscated by ignorant, stupid TSOs in the past, and I understand that you don't want to get into a major debate at a c/p by challenging the TSO, but that doesn't change the fact that nitro pills are not prohibited items and should never be confiscated or banned from the cabin.
<deleted>, has this topic ever been addressed on the TSA blog? This is the kind of subject that should be addressed, because you've got TSOs out there who are responding to a ridiculous urban myth about nitro pills or patches exploding and banning vital life-saving prescription meds, thus endangering the lives of pax who can die without those meds on a long flight.
You are not going to find any official OK for nitro pills. Even <deleted> will admit that although it defies common sense, and some TSOs
might exercise good judgment, officially no one at TSA HQ is going to go on record and say that they are allowed because they are not.
Nitro pills fall between two separate rules. Certain substances are always prohibited - they include nitro. No mention of what form it takes, what quantity, it is an absolute ban. Medicines are allowed, but IIRC, the wording leaves loopholes for TSA to challenge - quantities of liquid meds, for example, more stringent screening, strip testing.
I want to make it abundantly clear: this was not
one rogue TSO. This went all the way up to suits and everyone was unanimous. I was told a report would be made, copies of BP/ID, strong enough language that I will not risk travelling with the pills again. I do not want to end up on a watch list or get a $10K fine. I sure as heck don't want to take my pills, get caught, and then have to explain why I knew the pills were prohibited and still chose to 'artfully conceal' them and try to get them past the checkpoint. That would be a very scary scenario indeed.
I have asked <deleted> about this before. There's no point in putting him on the spot - he doesn't make the rules, but I believe he was in disbelief, thought it was a one-off even though it involved layers of bureaucracy and multiple individuals all in agreement.
I think he subsequently has found out that yes, it is the rule, and no, there are no exceptions. (Of course, even if there were, it would still be subject to the whim, er, judgment, of the individual screener and the same management that confiscates full bottles of expensive perfume because they look like grenades would back the confiscation of the nitro pills).