Warning: Buying Prescription Drugs in Mexico

Many Americans take advantage of the opportunity to buy a variety of
prescription drugs (antibiotics, anti-depressants, anxiety pills, etc.) over
the counter - without a prescription - in Mexico pharmacies. People have
understood its perfectly legal there and do it all the time. I just noticed
an article in the newspaper about a woman who, allegedly, had purchased a
3-month supply of her anti-seizure med Dilantin and another drug for her
diabetes. She had US prescriptions, but not on her person, when she was
picked up by Mexican police and indicted. See the article at:
http://www.sacbee.com/content/news/c...12616615c.html

Why was she indicted ?? You say she understood it is legal .... is it legal
or illegal .....
"Bob and Lynn Hidley" wrote in message
...
Many Americans take advantage of the opportunity to buy a variety of
prescription drugs (antibiotics, anti-depressants, anxiety pills, etc.)
over the counter - without a prescription - in Mexico pharmacies. People
have understood its perfectly legal there and do it all the time. I just
noticed an article in the newspaper about a woman who, allegedly, had
purchased a 3-month supply of her anti-seizure med Dilantin and another
drug for her diabetes. She had US prescriptions, but not on her person,
when she was picked up by Mexican police and indicted. See the article
at:
http://www.sacbee.com/content/news/c...12616615c.html

Why was she indicted ?? You say she understood it is legal .... is it legal
or illegal .....
"Bob and Lynn Hidley" wrote in message
...
Many Americans take advantage of the opportunity to buy a variety of
prescription drugs (antibiotics, anti-depressants, anxiety pills, etc.)
over the counter - without a prescription - in Mexico pharmacies. People
have understood its perfectly legal there and do it all the time. I just
noticed an article in the newspaper about a woman who, allegedly, had
purchased a 3-month supply of her anti-seizure med Dilantin and another
drug for her diabetes. She had US prescriptions, but not on her person,
when she was picked up by Mexican police and indicted. See the article
at:
http://www.sacbee.com/content/news/c...12616615c.html

Hank,

I don't know the law, don't pretend to. We have purchased prescription
drugs in Mexico on the past for my mother-in-law and brought them back
without a problem.

It may very well be that while it is legal to buy drugs in Mexico without a
script, it is not legal to bring them back into the U.S. It just might be
that the fact that she didn't have the valid scripts with her were the
reason for the bust.
--
DG in Cherry Hill, NJ


"Hank Sniadoch" wrote in message
...
Why was she indicted ?? You say she understood it is legal .... is it
legal
or illegal .....
"Bob and Lynn Hidley" wrote in message
...
Many Americans take advantage of the opportunity to buy a variety of
prescription drugs (antibiotics, anti-depressants, anxiety pills, etc.)
over the counter - without a prescription - in Mexico pharmacies.
People
have understood its perfectly legal there and do it all the time. I
just
noticed an article in the newspaper about a woman who, allegedly, had
purchased a 3-month supply of her anti-seizure med Dilantin and another
drug for her diabetes. She had US prescriptions, but not on her person,
when she was picked up by Mexican police and indicted. See the article
at:

http://www.sacbee.com/content/news/c...28542p-1261661
5c.html

Hank,

I don't know the law, don't pretend to. We have purchased prescription
drugs in Mexico on the past for my mother-in-law and brought them back
without a problem.

It may very well be that while it is legal to buy drugs in Mexico without a
script, it is not legal to bring them back into the U.S. It just might be
that the fact that she didn't have the valid scripts with her were the
reason for the bust.
--
DG in Cherry Hill, NJ


"Hank Sniadoch" wrote in message
...
Why was she indicted ?? You say she understood it is legal .... is it
legal
or illegal .....
"Bob and Lynn Hidley" wrote in message
...
Many Americans take advantage of the opportunity to buy a variety of
prescription drugs (antibiotics, anti-depressants, anxiety pills, etc.)
over the counter - without a prescription - in Mexico pharmacies.
People
have understood its perfectly legal there and do it all the time. I
just
noticed an article in the newspaper about a woman who, allegedly, had
purchased a 3-month supply of her anti-seizure med Dilantin and another
drug for her diabetes. She had US prescriptions, but not on her person,
when she was picked up by Mexican police and indicted. See the article
at:

http://www.sacbee.com/content/news/c...28542p-1261661
5c.html

People have
understood its perfectly legal there and do it all the time.

And the odds of walking away with a bottle of boot leg "sugar pills" is very
high.
"Anything that doesn't kill you,,,,,,,just hurts a hell of a lot" JLP20

People have
understood its perfectly legal there and do it all the time.

And the odds of walking away with a bottle of boot leg "sugar pills" is very
high.
"Anything that doesn't kill you,,,,,,,just hurts a hell of a lot" JLP20

"Hank Sniadoch" wrote in message
...
Why was she indicted ?? You say she understood it is legal .... is it
legal
or illegal .....

From the U.S. State Department's consular information sheet on Mexico

BEGIN QUOTE

DRUG PENALTIES AND PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS: Penalties for drug offenses are
strict, and convicted offenders can expect large fines and jail sentences up
to 25 years. The purchase of controlled medication requires a prescription
from a licensed Mexican physician. A few Mexican doctors have been arrested
for writing prescriptions without due cause. In those instances, American
citizens who bought the medications have been held in jail for months
waiting for the Mexican judicial system to decide their fate. The Mexican
list of controlled medication differs from that of the United States, and
Mexican public health laws concerning controlled medication are unclear and
often enforced selectively. To determine whether a particular medication is
controlled in Mexico, and therefore requires a prescription from a Mexican
doctor for purchase, please consult the website of the Mexican Federal
Commission for Protection Against Health Risks at
http://www.cofepris.gob.mx/.

The U.S. Embassy recommends that U.S. citizens not travel to Mexico for the
sole purpose of buying prescription drugs. U.S. citizens have been arrested
and their medicines confiscated by the Mexican authorities, even though
their prescriptions were written by a licensed American physician and filled
by a licensed Mexican pharmacist. There have been cases of Americans buying
prescription drugs in border cities only to be arrested soon after or have
money extorted by criminals impersonating police officers. In addition, U.S.
law enforcement officials believe that the amount of counterfeit and
substandard medications in Mexico could be as high as 25 percent. The
importation of prescription drugs into the United States can be illegal in
certain circumstances. U.S. law generally permits persons to enter the
United States with only an immediate (about one-month's) supply of a
prescription medication. Further information on bringing prescription drugs
into the United States is available from U.S. Customs and Border Protection
at "Know Before You Go."

The U.S. Embassy cautions that possession of any amount of prescription
medicine brought from the United States, including medications to treat HIV
and psychotropic drugs such as Valium, can result in arrest if Mexican
authorities suspect abuse or if the quantity of the prescription medicine
exceeds the amount required for several days' use. Individuals should
consider carrying a copy of the prescription and a Mexican doctor's letter
explaining that the quantity of medication is appropriate for their personal
medical use.

END QUOTE

Source: http://www.travel.state.gov/travel/mexico.html

--
I'm Tom Smith, and I approved this message.

"Hank Sniadoch" wrote in message
...
Why was she indicted ?? You say she understood it is legal .... is it
legal
or illegal .....

From the U.S. State Department's consular information sheet on Mexico

BEGIN QUOTE

DRUG PENALTIES AND PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS: Penalties for drug offenses are
strict, and convicted offenders can expect large fines and jail sentences up
to 25 years. The purchase of controlled medication requires a prescription
from a licensed Mexican physician. A few Mexican doctors have been arrested
for writing prescriptions without due cause. In those instances, American
citizens who bought the medications have been held in jail for months
waiting for the Mexican judicial system to decide their fate. The Mexican
list of controlled medication differs from that of the United States, and
Mexican public health laws concerning controlled medication are unclear and
often enforced selectively. To determine whether a particular medication is
controlled in Mexico, and therefore requires a prescription from a Mexican
doctor for purchase, please consult the website of the Mexican Federal
Commission for Protection Against Health Risks at
http://www.cofepris.gob.mx/.

The U.S. Embassy recommends that U.S. citizens not travel to Mexico for the
sole purpose of buying prescription drugs. U.S. citizens have been arrested
and their medicines confiscated by the Mexican authorities, even though
their prescriptions were written by a licensed American physician and filled
by a licensed Mexican pharmacist. There have been cases of Americans buying
prescription drugs in border cities only to be arrested soon after or have
money extorted by criminals impersonating police officers. In addition, U.S.
law enforcement officials believe that the amount of counterfeit and
substandard medications in Mexico could be as high as 25 percent. The
importation of prescription drugs into the United States can be illegal in
certain circumstances. U.S. law generally permits persons to enter the
United States with only an immediate (about one-month's) supply of a
prescription medication. Further information on bringing prescription drugs
into the United States is available from U.S. Customs and Border Protection
at "Know Before You Go."

The U.S. Embassy cautions that possession of any amount of prescription
medicine brought from the United States, including medications to treat HIV
and psychotropic drugs such as Valium, can result in arrest if Mexican
authorities suspect abuse or if the quantity of the prescription medicine
exceeds the amount required for several days' use. Individuals should
consider carrying a copy of the prescription and a Mexican doctor's letter
explaining that the quantity of medication is appropriate for their personal
medical use.

END QUOTE

Source: http://www.travel.state.gov/travel/mexico.html

--
I'm Tom Smith, and I approved this message.

"Thomas Smith" -NO-SPAM wrote

DRUG PENALTIES AND PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS: Penalties for drug offenses
are
strict, and convicted offenders can expect large fines and jail sentences
up
to 25 years. The purchase of controlled medication requires a prescription
from a licensed Mexican physician.

It should be noted that many medicines that are controlled here in the US
are NOT controlled in Mexico and are perfectly safe to buy. Things like
Nexium, Glucotrol and other diabetes meds, many blood pressure meds,
antibiotics, and things like topical hyrocortisone ointments are legal to
buy over the counter in Mexico WITHOUT any prescription of any kind.

But if you are buying meds that need a prescription in Mexico, you damn sure
ought to have one.


--
George in PA http://www.countryside-travel.com


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