bum
Stranger
Reged: 11/05/04
Posts: 7
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I'll be in Cancun in the beginning of June and I'm curious about the legal risks of obtaining pharms in Mexico. I've been reading through the posts and haven't been able to get a clear picture of what the correct procedure is. I've so far gathered that as long as I have a mexican script I'm able to possess up to a three month supply of meds? What exactly is the risk? Now obviously I won't be running in and out of multiple pharmacies (hopefully)...
so if I walk out of a farmacia with #90 valium and a mexican script for them, am I ok?
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steamman
Stranger
Reged: 02/28/05
Posts: 14
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Yes,but if you plan on bringimg any back I would check with a US Customs agent on what the law really is in regards to importing rx's.If all is ok,make sure you declare them on your customs form.I dont believe you can bring back opened boxes or containers of rx's either.Hope this helps...steamman
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bum
Stranger
Reged: 11/05/04
Posts: 7
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Hmm, I will check on that. I'm actually flying back. Thanks.
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CARLITOS_WAY
Veteran
Reged: 06/28/04
Posts: 607
Loc: WASHINGTON, USA
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You must have a US prescription to bring back controlled substances from Mexico into the USA. A Dr's prescription from Mexico is not valid in the USA. I just came back from Cancun a week ago.I knew this from 3 years ago crossing the border at Nogalas, AZ. Big sign. Mexican prescriptions for dangerous drugs are not valid in the USA. First question they asked at customs when arriving from Cancun. Did you buy ANY pharmaceudicals while in Mexico.
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If I had kept all the 2 cents worth I gave away, I would be wealthy in $$$
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OldandWorn
Veteran
Reged: 09/21/03
Posts: 569
Loc: State of Mind
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I was asked in TJ last year. They asked, I told them I had meds but they waved me through. Luck of the draw.
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todd6813
Member
Reged: 04/21/05
Posts: 105
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It is kind of at the discretion of the Customs officer. I was in Mexicali a few months ago and brought back 60 Ritalins and 60 Tylenol w/ codeine. Per the Customs website, you are allowed to bring back up to 50 doses of any Rx, as long as it is not a med unique to Mexico, and provided you have a copy of the Mexican script. At first the officer hassled me, but her supervisor waived us through. The pain med selection is fairly limited; we could not get any schedule II or III pain meds, at least that's what the dr. and pharmacist told us (but I did get Ritalin, which is a schedule II). Hope this helps.
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bum
Stranger
Reged: 11/05/04
Posts: 7
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I'm not really trying to bring them back. I just don't want to go to Mexican jail... so my question really is, if I have a mex. script and the drugs from the script, am I safe if I am approached by la policia de Mexico.
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sam001
Member
Reged: 02/04/04
Posts: 135
Loc: Nordstroms
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You may want to check out the State Department website on Mexico travel. There were warnings issues last year regarding the purchasing on meds in Mexico and the arrests that took place.
My understanding is if you have a valid Mexican prescription, then the Mexican authorities are OK with that. With that being said, Mexico has laws that are selectively enforced. There's been a few horror stories coming out of TJ about "planted" evidence.
I don't want to end up in a Mexican jail either. I used to go to one of the border towns a couple times a year, but no more. It's just not worth the risk to get 50 valium and T3s.
Good luck.
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todd6813
Member
Reged: 04/21/05
Posts: 105
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You won't be violating any drug laws while there: you have a script from a Mexican dr. and you're in Mexico. The pharmacies there ALWAYS make you a photocopy of the dr.'s actual hand-written script (if you bring any back to the US this is what you show Customs to prove it was prescribed for you). So while traveling IN Mexico you could carry that document with you, just in case a question should arise. And while most of the police there are corrupt, they are not in the business of hassling gringos....we bring/spend too much money to/in their country to risk having tourist dollars disappear. You'll have a good time.
Edited by todd6813 (04/29/05 06:06 PM)
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