Just popped in to see what was happening since Zelnorm was released in Mexico. My own personal experience while residing 32 years in So. CA was completely positive. I had a home about 2.5 hours south of Tijuana, across the bay from Ensenada and constantly brought prescription items across. I showed them to the U.S. Border Guard and was ALWAYS waved through. Even when I was young and nubile.
IF you are detained it is on the U.S. side of the border. Mexican jails become a possibility if you are trying to take something INTO Mexico. U.S. jails are the destination when trying to take something OUT. That was my experience.Here is what the US Customs website has to say today: The U.S. Customs Service enforces Federal laws and regulations, including those of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). A new bill was recently passed by Congress that amends a portion of the Controlled Substances Act (21USC956(a)). This amendment allows a United States resident to import up to 50 dosage units of a controlled medication without a valid prescription at an international land border. These medications must be declared upon arrival, be for your own personal use and in their original container. However, travelers should be aware that drug products which are not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration may not be acceptable for such importation. FDA warns that such drugs are often of unknown quality and discourages buying drugs sold in foreign countries. Please go to
http://www.fda.gov/ora/import/purchasing_medications.htm for further information. The United States Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. sections 331(d), and 355(a)), which is administered by FDA, prohibits the interstate shipment (which includes importation) of unapproved new drugs. Unapproved new drugs are any drugs, including foreign-made versions of U.S. approved drugs, that have not received FDA approval to demonstrate they meet the federal requirements for safety and effectiveness. It is the importer's obligation to demonstrate to FDA that any drugs offered for importation have been approved by FDA. FDA has developed guidance entitled "Coverage of Personal Importations" which sets forth that agency's enforcement priorities with respect to the personal importation of unapproved new drugs by individuals for their personal use. The guidance identifies circumstances in which FDA may consider exercising enforcement discretion and refrain from taking legal action against illegally imported drugs. Those circumstances are as follows: 1. the intended use (of the drug) is unapproved and for a serious condition for which effective treatment may not be available domestically either through commercial or clinical means; 2. there is no known commercialization or promotion to persons residing in the U.S. by those involved in the distribution of the product at issue; 3. the product is considered not to represent an unreasonable risk; 4. the individual seeking to import the product affirms in writing that it is for the patient�s own use (generally not more than a 3-month supply) and provides the name and address of the doctor licensed in the U.S. responsible for his or her treatment with the product, or provides evidence that the product is for the continuation of a treatment begun in a foreign country. FDA's guidance is not, however, a license for individuals to import unapproved (and therefore illegal) drugs for personal use into the U.S. Even if all of the factors noted in the guidance are present, the drugs remain illegal and FDA may decide that such drugs should be refused entry or seized. The guidance represents FDA�s current thinking regarding the issues of personal importation and is intended only to provide operating guidance for FDA personnel. The guidance does not create any legally enforceable rights for the public; nor does it operate to bind FDA or the public. For additional info at this site go to
http://www.customs.gov/travel/travel.htm IN ADDITION....Mail ordering from Mexico (or any other country)is also 'legal' provided it's for your personal use. On the off chance an over zealous Customs Agent [because the application of these laws are open for interpretation, deliberately]seizes your shipment, you're out the cost of the meds and you will receive a letter notifying you of the seizure. Nobody knocking at your door in the middle of the night with an arrest warrant. In my experience.
------------------Verna Eileen Radcliffe(without laughter there is no future)
http://homepages.about.com/eileenradcliffe...eileenradcliffe (stop in and say hello sometime
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http://www.allexperts.com/displayExpert.asp?Expert=36364 [This message has been edited by VernaEileenR (edited 07-30-2001).][This message has been edited by VernaEileenR (edited 07-31-2001).]