Traveling With Prescription Adderall

[brystmar]

I'm flying to Bangkok on Sunday for almost a month of travel in Thailand and plan to bring my prescription generic Adderall XR medication with me. I was recently made aware that this drug is classified as a narcotic in Thailand, so I'm wondering what exact precautions I need to take so I don't break any international laws.

I am bringing only enough of this medication for my stay, it will remain in its original prescription bottle for the entire duration of my trip, and I have a hand-signed doctor's note on his official medical letterhead verifying all of this. Is there any further paperwork I need to remain within Thai law?

Thanks for your help!

[noahvail]

Seems to me you've got most of your bases covered. Did the doctor put your diagnosis on his note? I don't know if it matters, but when customs sees 'amphetamines' in any form these days, they start bringing the dogs in.

It's very important that you declare these meds on your arrival card that you fill out on the plane. I always check the box about pharmaceuticals, medicines, etc. and write "prescription medicine" on the line. Then go through the red line (you may have to find an officer since it is rarely staffed). Declare it, show the officer the paperwork, and only then show him the meds if he asks to see them.

The customs people are very good about letting you go through with prescription meds - you shouldn't have a problem.

Since you're coming for a month, it might be prudent to take 6 weeks' worth with you. There are a number of things that could delay your return - volcanoes, plane malfunctions, strikes by the airline's employees or the ground staff at AoT.

And as silly as it might seem to say, make sure your dosage equates with the time zone changes as you go through them. I'm assuming you want to keep a steady-state quantity of the meds in you.

Enjoy your trip to Thailand!

[Sheryl]

The legal limit is 30 days supply.

Having it in a precsription bottle with your name on it and an accompanying doctors note should suffice.

[Amie]

The last two posts seem to contradict each other about the amount of Adderall that can be taken into Thailand. My son is volunteering in Chaing Mai for 8 weeks and will be there a total of 70 days. He will have a non immigrant 90 day visa. Will it be a problem to send him with enough medication for his whole stay?

Edited August 25, 2010 by Amie

[Sheryl]

Technically it is a 30 day supply, I guess because that is the longest most tourists stay. But I have not heard of anyone having a problem with amounts over that as long as not in such quantity as to arouse suspicion of intent to sell, which is basically the concern.

Just make sure the meds are all in bottles labelled with your son's name and that he has an accompanying doctor's note stating these have been prescribed to him and why. In a worst case scenario (i.e. the quantity over 30 days being seized) this will also enable him to get a new script from a thai hospital. But that is a very unlikely scenario.

[Amie]

Thanks. We will follow your advice!

[Hairy]

Sheryl, the worst case isn't that they seize the more-than-30-days supply. The worst case is that the son ends up being convicted of drug trafficking and sentenced to a moderately long stay in a Thai prison. Or, if he has a stopover in Dubai on the way to Thailand, in a Dubai prison. I sincerely hope he is on a direct flight, no stops, no connecting flights.

The best case is that Customs misses the violation entirely. Second-best is that they merely seize the excess quantity. Personally, I've never even had my bags looked at, but that is not something to count on with drug penalties being so harsh. (For example, Singapore's death penalty for drug traffickers, not that they'd necessarily apply that for forty excess days of a prescribed drug.)

Do keep in mind that it's not just an issue in Thailand. I've been told by a reliable source -- the psychiatrist who writes my prescriptions for Ritalin every month -- that it's illegal to possess more than a thirty-day supply of a Schedule 2 drug (Ritalin, Adderall, many others) in the U.S.

I'd post some possible illegal workarounds to the problem, but I don't relish the thought of being hunted down and sued if things go wrong. Sorry.

[Sheryl]

I really, really do not think there is a danger of arrest in Thailand if the amount of medication is consistent with his planned length of stay, in prescription bottles clearly labelled with his name and he is in possession of a doctor's certificate. Indeed, it is not totally clear to me that the 30 day restriction applies to someone who has permission to stay for a longer period.

Point about Dubai et al well taken, though.

I have actually never heard of customs counting out tablets to see if they equal not more than a 30 day supply. But they would certainly notice an amount in obvious excess of personal use. The concern is intent to sell.

[jimlim789]

There's a new over the counter pill which I sometimes take, but the names escape's me in english.

it make's one very sleepy the next day, this soon wear's over and it really does work for me

Good luck