Know Before You Go

Can I bring medication on a plane?

As long as your medication is legal in the country you’re travelling in, you can. Medications can exceed 100 mL and don’t need to fit in the standard one-litre liquids bag. Solid medications such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen and antihistamines have no volume restrictions, though some mineral-based powders and supplements are limited to 350 mL. No matter where you’re travelling, the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) recommends packing all medications in your carry-on. This ensures that you have your medication should your flight be delayed or your checked luggage go missing. CATSA also recommends keeping liquid, gel and aerosol prescription medications in their original pharmacy-labelled containers to make them easier to identify during inspection. For extra safety, carry copies of your prescriptions so your medications can be verified and replaced if needed.

What should I know about travelling internationally with prescription medications?

Ensure that you can travel in and out of Canada with them, as some medications that are permitted in Canada may be restricted elsewhere. These include several types of drugs, among them narcotics such as morphine and oxycodone, controlled drugs such as amphetamines and anabolic steroids, and targeted substances such as lorazepam, alprazolam and zolpidem.

New Canadian regulations that came into effect in October 2026 allow travellers to carry up to a 90‑day supply of legally prescribed controlled medications when entering or leaving Canada, says Harrison Jordan, a lawyer and the founder of Substance Law, a firm that focuses on regulated substances in Canada.

However, not all countries have the same laws. Before you travel, you should check the regulations for your specific medications and get an official answer on whether you're permitted to bring them with you. You can do this by contacting a consular official or by searching the country's official websites — often found under travel advisories or entry requirements — to see which medications are permitted, prohibited, require specific documentation or even an advance application for pre-approval. Be sure to verify that you are on an official government or airline website when you are reading the information. The bottom line? It’s always the traveller’s responsibility to ensure that the substances they’re carrying are allowed into the country they’re travelling to.

“Some countries strictly control the import, export or possession of even small amounts of drugs that would otherwise be permitted to possess within Canada,” Jordan says. “One must follow not only Canadian laws, but also the laws of any other jurisdiction they’re going to or coming from.”