If you have pre-existing medical condition, such as asthma, diabetes, high blood pressure or heart problems, it is very likely that you will have to take prescription medication with you when you go on holiday abroad but do you know what your medication actually contains?
British girl Laura Plummer was recently sentenced to 3 years in prison in Egypt after taking 290 Tramatol tablets in her suitcase.
The painkiller is illegal under Egyptian law, and Laura was accused of smuggling the pills.
She told police she had brought them to treat her husband’s back pain and claimed she did not know that the pills were illegal under the law of Egypt.
But did you know travelling on a plane with a certain cough medicine is illegal under one country’s law?
You could land yourself in prison if you pack it in your holiday luggage, warns a travel expert.
Taking Benylin cough syrup is illegal if you travel to Zambia, a country in Southern Africa.
Having a pre-existing medical condition and having to carry prescription medication with you shouldn’t stop you from enjoying a holiday abroad, but it does mean that you might have to take some extra steps to ensure your medication is kept safe and that you are allowed carry it with you
Always do your research before attempting to travel with medication What prescription drugs can you take abroad and which countries have banned medications like Tramadol and codeine?
YOU should always check if it’s legal to take your prescription medication abroad before putting it in your suitcase.
In certain countries, harsh penalties can be enforced if you’re caught with illegal substances – including Tramadol and codeine. Here are the checks you should make before taking the pills on holiday…
What penalties can you be issued for taking prescription drugs abroad?
The Maldives, a country that is popular with newlyweds, has strong anti-drug laws.
Anyone caught with prescription drugs on the banned list faces imprisonment or deportation.
This is the same in the UAE, Egypt and Turkey, who impose equally strict laws on substance use.
In these instances, travellers have feared that they may face the death penalty for their mistakes.
Packing these medicines could land you in JAIL
TRAVEL expert warns taking this over-the-counter medicine on a plane is illegal in certain countries, meaning offenders could be put in prison.
The Foreign Office advises – You need to prove your medicine is prescribed to you if:
- it contains a ‘controlled drug’
- you have it on you when you’re entering or leaving the UK
You may also need to get a licence.
You could get a fine or go to prison if you travel with medicine that’s illegal in another country – check with the embassyof the country you’re going to before you travel.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist whether your medicine contains a controlled drug.
You can also check the drugs listed on the packaging of your medicine and search for them on the controlled drugs list. The list doesn’t give names of medicines, only drugs that are used in medicines.
If your medicine contains a drug listed as schedule 2, 3 or 4 on the controlled drugs list, you need to either:
- prove it is prescribed to you
- get a licence – if you’re travelling for at least 3 months or carrying enough to last you that long
You can’t usually travel with drugs listed as schedule 1 – check with the Home Office before you travel.
Prove your medicine is prescribed to you
You need to get a letter from the person who prescribed your medicine. You might need to show this at the border.
The letter must include:
- your name
- what countries you’re going to and when
- a list of your medicine, including how much you have, doses and the strength
- the signature of the person who prescribed your drugs
Get a licence
You’ll need to apply for a licence if you’re either:
- travelling for 3 months or more
- carrying a supply of medicine that would last you 3 months or more