I’ve written plenty of articles on bugging out, and many on what kind of equipment to put in a bug out backpack. Here I want to discuss something that doesn’t quite get the attention it deserves – which drugs to pack.
“Drugs” in this case comes in different categories: over-the-counter drugs, prescription drugs, or even illicit street drugs. In some cases, the lines between those categories can blur depending on the drug itself and the circumstances surrounding it.
Why Types of Drugs Do You Need in a Bug Out?
From my view, every person should pack drugs in a bug out bag that cover the following three categories:
- Individual Medical Need
- Pain Relief
- Performance Enhancement
These three categories are based on some bug out assumptions, mainly that your bug out could mean living out of your pack for up to three days (or more) while travelling to safety, either in vehicle or on foot. That amount of time away from additional resources under adverse conditions means whatever you need to stay alive must be on your person. Given the rigors of an on-foot bug out, you need drugs that can help keep you moving toward safety – pain relief and performance.
Individual Medical Need
This is a catchall category that encompasses everything from individual prescriptions to medications for “what if” situations.
Clearly if you need blood pressure medications to keep your blood pressure under control that’s something you’re going to want stored in a bug out backpack that’s ready to go. This applies to any drug that you need to sustain your life or make life manageable.
This could also go beyond what you are prescribed, however. The savvy prepper also has a stock of antibiotics at his/her disposal – just in case. Of course, stocking antibiotics without a medical need (and the associated prescription) is problematic. You have to find an understanding doctor (difficult) or rely on other methods (like stocking fish antibiotics).
Pain Relief
Every prepper should have at least one type of pain relief drug in their bug out bag. Anyone older than their mid-20s who has gone on a multi-day hike knows the value of a few ibuprofen. It has gotten to the point for me where I’ll pop a few ibuprofens before the hike just because I know how it will go.
I won’t do this for a casual walk in the woods (what some people call a hike), but before a winter climb up Mount Katahdin or some similar aggressive endeavor, ibuprofen is my friend.
If your hypothetical bug out situation is anything involving a long hike, and you should prepare for the chance it could be, pain relief is paramount.
Performance Enhancement
I’m not talking about Viagra performance enhancement here, but any drug that will help you keep moving. Getting out of Dodge as quickly as possible could require pushing yourself harder and longer (again, not talking about Viagra) than you ever have before.
Soldiers were awake for days, marching without stopping, which wouldn’t have happened if it weren’t for crystal meth.
Norman Ohler, author of Blitzed: Drugs in the Third Reich
This could be true whether you’re on foot or driving. If you’re escaping a pending natural disaster, trying to get out of a city, or racing to reach your bug out location – any of those scenarios could mean driving or walking through the night and into the next day. It could mean you have to keep going when your body would otherwise say stop.
Using drugs to enhance performance during a crisis is not new. In fact, drugs have been used to improve a soldier’s performance throughout history.
Examples of drug enhancers used by soldiers:
- Viking Berserkers ingested different psychoactive mushrooms before war (source)
- Incan chasquis (message runners) chewed coca leaves (source)
- Cocaine was used in the early 19th century by European militaries for trench warfare (source)
- German Nazis consumed methamphetamine, their “go pill,” to keep them moving during the blitzkrieg (source)
- Soviet troops used meldonium while fighting in Afghanistan (source)
- Modafinil has been used more recently by militaries all around the world to help soldiers stay awake and fight longer (source)
These drugs help turn soldiers into “super soldiers” by:
- reducing physical fatigue
- reducing anguish, stress
- improving individual performances
- empowering physical and mental awareness and presence
8 Specific Drugs to Pack in a Bug Out Bag
It would be easy for me to just suggest you pack an entire medicine cabinet in your bug out backpack as a means of covering all your bases, but that’s 1) a lazy response, 2) a waste of money in most cases, and 3) too much bulk and weight.
I’m a serious advocate of keeping gear as lightweight as possible. I stress weight in all of my articles on bug out backpacks. I know from experience that ounces turn into pounds quite quickly, and there is only so much space in a pack. Space/weight is at a premium when you’re deciding between which items are most needed to get you to safety.
So, the suggestions I have below here are the drugs I think warrant inclusion – specific to a bug out situation. That’s what’s driving my advice – will this drug help in a bug out scenario?
It should also be noted that I don’t think you need to carry entire bottles of each medication. You need just enough to get you and your party through any unexpected “what if” situation that you could encounter on a bug out. Ideally – hopefully – you have additional medical resources available to you whenever you reach your destination.
Individual Medical Need
Activated Charcoal
There was a time when ipecac syrup was the suggested remedy for ingesting poison, but evidence now suggests activated charcoal is better. Activated charcoal serves as an anti-absorption medication, making it an ideal drug to carry in the off chance you ingest something that would put you out of commission during a bug out.
- ACTIVATED CHARCOAL CAPSULES: Charcoal powder is used for health, beauty & oral care & has traditionally been used to adsorb toxins(1); Our Activated Charcoal capsules contain 260 mg of activated charcoal /2 capsules & can be taken after meals as needed.
- DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS: Activated Charcoal is a naturally sourced health and dietary supplement that's been used to support healthy lifestyles for generations; Plant and herbal based supplements from Nature's Bounty meet high quality standards and testing.
- HERBAL SUPPLEMENTS FROM NATURE'S BOUNTY: Whether you're looking for a single herbal supplement, overall wellness support, or specific benefits we're here to help support your health goals(1); Our herbal supplements & extracts come in a variety of forms.
- NATURE'S BOUNTY FOR A HEALTHY LIFE: At Nature's Bounty, we want to help you maintain wellness at every stage of life, & carry a range of vitamins & supplements including prenatal vitamins, mood support, joint support, & supplements for healthy aging.(1)
- TRUSTED QUALITY: Nature's Bounty nutritional supplements meet high quality standards; You'll love Nature's Bounty supplements if you've tried ones from Garden of Life, Vitafusion, Rainbow Light, Centrum, Alive, Solgar, Nordic Naturals, or Nature Made.
Odds are high you will only be eating what’s in your pack, and if I had to cut a drug out of the list I have here, activated charcoal might be one of them. But what if your bug out lasts longer than you packed for? What if you have to rely on questionable food? Activated charcoal could become a lifesaver.
Antibiotics
I’m not going to give medical advice on prescription drugs, mainly which antibiotics to pack for what. I’ll leave that to qualified professionals (or consult the book I suggest at the end), but there is something to be said for having the means to treat any infection you have. You can see for yourself the most common general and brand name antibiotics and what they’re used for.
How you secure these, and maintain an ability to rotate stock, is a whole other game. There are ways to buy antibiotics without a prescription, however.
Jase Medical sells antibiotics online, and it is very easy to do – I’ve done it. You answer a few questions about your health and any allergies you have. Then a doctor reviews your answers and they send you antibiotics that you can store for emergency use.
Some people get around this by stocking the aforementioned fish antibiotics. While some people swear by fish antibiotics, others urge caution. Still, in a SHTF situation, they are likely better than the alternative.
Diphenhydramine
Benadryl, or the generic equivalent diphenhydramine, is an antihistamine that can relieve the symptoms of allergies. It works by blocking the histamine your body creates as the result of an allergic reaction.
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Diphenhydramine can also be used to prevent nausea and vomiting caused by motion sickness. It also serves as a sleep aid and is the active ingredient in the “sleep” portion of Tylenol PM.
This drug is widely recommended to have on hand in any emergency situation just because of its potentially life-saving attributes when someone has a serious allergic reaction.
Loperamide
Imodium, or the generic equivalent Loperamide, is an antidiarrhea agent. If you find your bug out water purifier broke or you accidentally ingested water you shouldn’t have, you could end up with diarrhea. You could end up with diarrhea from a variety of sources for that matter.
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It couldn’t get much worse than trying to bug out by foot while having a serious case of the craps. Worse than the mess of it all could be dehydration associated with it. While diarrhea is the “butt” of many kids’ jokes, it kills 2,195 children every. single. day. Take the threat of diarrhea seriously.
Prescription Drugs
It goes without saying that you need to pack the unique medications prescribed to you by your doctor. Heart medications? Asthma inhaler? Epi-pen? If you need ’em add ’em to your bag.
Pain Relief
Acetaminophen
Tylenol, or the generic equivalent acetaminophen, can be used to treat a variety of different pains from headaches to muscle aches to back aches and menstrual pains. It can also serve as a fever reducer.
- ACTIVE INGREDIENT: Amazon Basic Care Extra Strength Pain Relief's active ingredient is Acetaminophen, 500 mg, which compares to the active ingredient of Extra Strength Tylenol CapletsAmazon Basic Care Extra Strength Pain Relief, Acetaminophen Caplets, 500 mg, temporarily relieves minor aches and pains due to: the common cold, headache, backache, minor pain of arthritis, toothache, muscular aches, and premenstrual and menstrual cramps also temporarily reduces fever
- USE: Acetaminophen may be used as a pain reliever and fever reducer for adults and children 12 years and over
- PAIN: Pain may begin with an injury or illness, but could also originate with anything from a bad mattress to arthritisACUTE PAIN: Acute pain acts as an alarm such as with a bee sting or stubbing your toe and can last for a few moments or for longer
- Product may be manufactured in India or U.S.
Acetaminophen, like the drug that follows, is a great all-purpose pain reliever. It’s versatile.
NSAIDs
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NDAIDs) are probably the most common type of painkillers. This is a category of drugs rather than a specific drug, but drugs falling into this category are aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen. Brand names include Bayer, Advil, and Aleve.
- ACTIVE INGREDIENT: This product contains ibuprofen 200 mg, a pain reliever and fever reducer (NSAID); compare to the active ingredient in Advil Ibuprofen TabletsPAIN RELIEVER AND FEVER REDUCER: Proven pain relief without a prescription for tough pain such as muscular aches, minor arthritis pain, toothache, backache, menstrual cramps or minor aches and pains from the common cold; also temporarily reduces fever
- STRONG RELIEF: Amazon Basic Care Ibuprofen Tablets 200 mg are strong on tough pain to help you get the relief you need to keep going; no prescription needed for this pain reliever and fever reducerEFFECTIVE: When pain tries to take over, turn to the proven pain relief of coated Amazon Basic Care Ibuprofen Tablets 200 mg; use for adults and children 12 years and over
- IBUPROFEN is the number one doctor recommended back pain OTC active ingredient (of U.S. physicians surveyed by an independent market research firm)
- Product may be manufactured in India or U.S.
Ibuprofen (Advil) is probably the most commonly consumed NSAID, but my general preference is Aleve because it has a longer release time. Each has their place, however.
Acetaminophen and NSAIDs can be rotated for more effective pain relief and/or fever reduction. NSAIDs are also good for reducing inflammation.
Performance Enhancement
Having the energy to operate around-the-clock like a soldier in a blitzkrieg would be a huge benefit in a bug out situation, you’re not going to be packing methamphetamines in your bug out bag… or at least I hope you’re not.
So, what are your options if you need a “go pill” to keep you moving through the night?
College students and coders in Silicon Valley have been known to use Ritalin and Adderrall as their “stay awake and productive” drug of choice, using them off-label. There is no doubt they work for this, but they also require a prescription.
Caffeine Pills
A more realistic option for the typical prepper is going to be simple over the counter caffeine pills. College students have also been known to use these to cram for exams. Truckers use them. Preppers can use them, too.
- Energize Your Day: Nutricost Caffeine Capsules deliver a boost of energy to help you stay focused and alert throughout the day.
- No Sugar or Unhealthy Additives: Enjoy the benefits of caffeine without the unwanted sugar or other unhealthy additives commonly found in sodas or energy drinks.
- Convenient and Effective Capsule Formulation: Each bottle contains 250 capsules, making it easy to take your desired caffeine dose on the go.
- Rigorous Quality Standards: Every Nutricost product is made in an NSF certified, GMP compliant facility, ensuring the highest level of quality and purity.
- Third-Party Tested: Every batch of Nutricost Caffeine Capsules is independently tested by ISO accredited laboratories, providing reassurance and confidence in the product's quality and consistency.
If the pill form isn’t your thing, you can just get your caffeine through coffee. It’s just not going to be as efficient or quick as a caffeine pill.
If coffee is your jam, however, check my article on How to Store Coffee. It includes links to some freeze-dried coffee packets that would be perfect to stock in a bug out bag.
Final Notes
One book I’ve long advocated that preppers keep in their SHTF library is a copy of the Nursing Drug Handbook. You can buy the most recent one here or do what I did, look for a used version on Amazon of a prior year. The pricing is much better.
This book will serve as a valuable reference in any long-term collapse that includes the need to act as your own pharmacist or the pharmacist for someone else.
- Lippincott Williams & Wilkins (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 1860 Pages - 05/27/2021 (Publication Date) - LWW (Publisher)
If a global SHTF situation suddenly hit, something on the scale of a zombie apocalypse, we would be living in a world without the rule of law.
Medical systems would be non-functional and you could have to scrounge and scavenge for medical supplies to treat yourself or others in your party. Knowing what drugs do what and have what reactions would be exceptionally valuable knowledge to have, and the information in this book could provide that information.
What are your thoughts? What drugs would you suggest packing in a bug out bag? Let us know in the comments.
9 comments
During airborne operations back in the 80’s and 90s they would give us meds to sleep in flight, and then something to wake us up. no idea what they were other than like the drugs you mention here, and yes some got addicted to them just like the atropine injectors during gulf shield/gulf storm. the atropine injectors had two parts, they would use the part to speed up the body to make it work faster.
The most overlooked medicine needed outdoors while camping is a good bug bite balm. Mosquitos, Ticks, Spiders, Chiggers, etc. can and will eat you up. Forget the Dollarstore, big pharma brands. They are a joke. There are brands with natural ingredients that work much better at wound healing and venomous insert bites.
Examples are like B&W Ointment, Amish Origins Drawing Salve, Amish Origins Deep Penetrating Pain Relief Cream and Activated Charcoal Salves sold at Amish/Mennonite Communities. This balms contain natural ingredients like wintergreen, peppermint, camphor, tea tree, lavender, charcoal.
Really useful input in this article. It might be worth noting that if you combine Acetaminophen & Ibruprophen or utilize FDA approved Advil Dual Action, it is as effective if not more powerful than Opioids without the addictive worries. One acts on the liver and the other on the kidneys, no contraindications. I used this combo for the first time after a clavicle shoulder dislocation. It worked better than expected. Drink lots of water…
I would add DIAZEPAM to the bag, depending on the fallout or situation, you may be very alone, frustrated, worried, scared or depressed – Diazepam relieves that and can help you through to seeing the bright side.
They can be addictive and they are prescription drugs.
‘Performance enhancing’ is a relative term. You should be aware that what you gain in resistance to pain and speed of reaction, you lose in awareness of the unexpected and the ability to reason. This is why pep drugs are issued to military transport pilots but not fighter pilots. Exam crammers can remember facts better but are less able to deal with the reasoning questions. In practical SHTF situations, pep drugs of any sort are fine for extended hikes in low threat areas, but not (say) the urban bugout phase. Consider keeping the leader and point man free of pep pills. This will also necessitate them carrying less weight and getting sufficient food, water, and rest, since these are also required for complex brain function. It’s why fighter pilots (yes, I was one) get put up in 4 star hotels whilst the grunts are in tents. A second point for SHTF is that, wherever possible, you should only do planning when as well-rested as possible and once the effects of any pep pills have worn off.
Solid advice.
Check out this YouTube video on a service that utilizes telemedicine and real doctors to prescribe a antibiotics “survival kit”. I haven’t used the service (yet) so I can’t vouch for them, but a few commenters have. Take the guesswork out of fish antibiotics…
https://youtu.be/05gGtJeSH9w
Since Doctors will NOT prescribe anti-biotics to you to stockpile. All Fish anti-biotics have increased in cost 400% in 2022. Here is a natural alternative from your great grandparents.
DIY Oregano Alcohol (Spirits) Tincture
Source: (edited by rob) https://genesisschoolofnaturalhealth.org/oregano-alcohol-tincture/
Used for Respiratory tract GI disorders and Menstrual cramps and Urinary tract Disorders, used the same way as prescribed anti-biotics.
Step one: Fill a jar ½ full with fresh or dry Oregano leaves (greek or spanish oregano is the best), then fill up the remainder of the jar with 80 proof vodka.
Step two: Let stand 3-6 weeks. Shake one minute each day to maximize extraction.
After steeping, strain mixture thru cheese cloth and squeeze out liquid tincture.
When bottling (for example) in 1 oz glass bottle with eye dropper, add 20 drops of Oregano essential oil before filling bottle with oregano tincture. This will add to the potency and effectiveness of the tincture. Shelflife 10 years.
I felt like this was the best herb to use to maintain my health because everyone around me has been coughing. Oregano opened my respiratory system! Dosage: Two droppers full 4x/daily between meals for best results.
Hey Rob, great share!
I have to say, Oregano is magical!
Just the other day my coughing got so bad i was almost vomiting and my lungs felt sore and tired.
I picked some fresh Oregano leaves from the garden and made a tea letting the leaves steep for 10 minutes.
Added some honey and drank it with pleasure as Oregano happens to be one of my 3 favourite herbs.
Straight away my coughing was gone, my airways felt very clear and didn’t cough for the rest of the day!
I will be making the Tincture you shared to keep as a quick fix in future!
By the way, Thyme (which is the same family) also has these properties.