Getting meds through customs

[UConn1]

Will a letter from my mom's doctor detailing the cancer and other meds she is on be sufficient? If not, what is the best route to go? We will be doing Canadian Customs twice in four days (once off plane, once onboard ship).

Thanks,
Jodi

[Jewels37]

A doctor's note wont hurt at all. My suggestion is make sure you take her medications in their original packaging with the prescription right on it so that customs can see it was prescribed too her. While that seems simple and obvious people still think that putting them in smaller containers wont cause any problems with customes but it still can.

[SDR (Dani)]

Dear Jody,

Sounds like you guys will be just fine.

I just returned from a cruise that left Ft. Lauderdale after flying from Nova Scotia. I had to pass customs with narcotic meds, including a large make up kit of medicines.

I took the precaution of getting a note from my doctor as well. You must carry them with your carry on luggage and even though my number must have come up in Montreal! (custom wise it stopped just short of a skin search) they still weren't in the least interested in my prescription drugs. Never took the bottles out, weren't interested in the note from the Doctor.

So in my opinion, you are protected with the doctor's note and keeping the drugs in the original packaging with your name on them. I also had duralgesic fentynal patches, if your illness is cancer you are probably familiar with these. Remember to leave them in the box and don't let them get too hot or cold.

Best of luck and have a wonderful cruise.

Dani

[LisaK]

pre 911 most folks would tell you to just put your meds in those daily dose containers and not to worry about it. But since then it is best to keep all medications in their original labeled containers, even over the counter medications like Tylenol. This is especially true if you are taking any kind of narcotic pain killer like Oxy-Contin, Vicadin etc, etc, the ones that get stolen and sold on the streets . Why risk it?

[Jim Bragg]

Never had a problem even without having a prescription, just the bottles they came in with my name on them etc. Unless you are bringing in a thousand tabs of a narcotic in a loose baggie <G> they know it is for your use and prescribed. Just carry your script or the original bottles they came in. DO NOT put them in a plastic bag or mix them up in an unmarked container.
Jim

[UConn1]

Thanks guys, I will let my mom know. She usually puts them in those M-F pill dividers. I will make sure she doesn't this time.

Jodi

I had a large zip-loc bag ful of prescribed meds (9in their orginal containers )))and they did not even ask me about them.

[Vickie]

My husband took his in those M-F pill cases and nobody ever said a word.