Aids HIV FAQ

Warning: Buying Prescription Drugs in Mexico

Question:

I contacted the author of the newspaper article I referenced in my post for more clarification.  I asked her about buying drugs with either an American doctor’s Rx, a Mexican doctor’s Rx or no Rx at all.  Her reply: "Mexican law and drug policy are carried out differently, in different places. It is, I’m afraid, a crapshoot for Americans. What I DO know is that quantity is the big issue – some say the cutoff is over 100 pills. That’s what can get you in trouble, whether you bought them in the U.S. and carried them over, or whether you bought them in Mexico. If caught with large quantities, you MUST be able to show a Mexican doctor’s prescription. Same with purchases. If you buy prescription drugs in Mexico, the law is clear that you must have a Mexican doctor’s prescription. The trouble with that is there are plenty of farmacias who will gladly sell them to you – then you’re on your own, if you’re busted.  Which could well happen. It’s  been shown that a few really corrupt operations will tip off police or accomplices to your "cargo" and come arrest you, then try to shake you down for money. That’s been documented. I hope I answered your questions." Marjie Lundstrom, Sacramento Bee

Response:

> 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 The Mother of All Group Cruises http://www.motherofallgroupcruises.com Miracle in May – http://www.cruisemaster.com/miracle.htm September – Triumph Canada/NE – http://www.cruisemaster.com/carnivalFall.htm October – Princess Caribbean http://www.cruisemaster.com/caribprin.htm

Response:

>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

Response:

> 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.

Response:

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

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Why was she indicted ??  You say she understood it is legal …. is it legal > or illegal ….. > 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/columns/lundstrom/story/11728542p-… 5c.html – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –

Response:

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/columns/lundstrom/story/11728542p-…

Response:

Why was she indicted ??  You say she understood it is legal …. is it legal or illegal ….. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> 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/columns/lundstrom/story/11728542p-…

Response:

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/columns/lundstrom/story/11728542p-…

Response:

Why was she indicted ??  You say she understood it is legal …. is it legal or illegal ….. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> 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/columns/lundstrom/story/11728542p-…

Response:

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

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Why was she indicted ??  You say she understood it is legal …. is it legal > or illegal ….. > 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/columns/lundstrom/story/11728542p-… 5c.html – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –

Response:

>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

Response:

> 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.

Response:

> 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 The Mother of All Group Cruises http://www.motherofallgroupcruises.com Miracle in May – http://www.cruisemaster.com/miracle.htm September – Triumph Canada/NE – http://www.cruisemaster.com/carnivalFall.htm October – Princess Caribbean http://www.cruisemaster.com/caribprin.htm

Response:

I contacted the author of the newspaper article I referenced in my post for more clarification.  I asked her about buying drugs with either an American doctor’s Rx, a Mexican doctor’s Rx or no Rx at all.  Her reply: "Mexican law and drug policy are carried out differently, in different places. It is, I’m afraid, a crapshoot for Americans. What I DO know is that quantity is the big issue – some say the cutoff is over 100 pills. That’s what can get you in trouble, whether you bought them in the U.S. and carried them over, or whether you bought them in Mexico. If caught with large quantities, you MUST be able to show a Mexican doctor’s prescription. Same with purchases. If you buy prescription drugs in Mexico, the law is clear that you must have a Mexican doctor’s prescription. The trouble with that is there are plenty of farmacias who will gladly sell them to you – then you’re on your own, if you’re busted.  Which could well happen. It’s  been shown that a few really corrupt operations will tip off police or accomplices to your "cargo" and come arrest you, then try to shake you down for money. That’s been documented. I hope I answered your questions." Marjie Lundstrom, Sacramento Bee

Response:

Filed under: HIV