What prescription drugs can you take abroad and which countries have banned medications like codeine and Tramadol?
Always do your research before attempting to travel abroad with medication
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.
Is it legal to take prescription drugs abroad?
It's crucial to check if the country you are visiting, or passing through, allows the medication you are carrying.
From India to Turkey, many different locations have strict rules on which substances they allow through border control.
If the host nation bans prescription drugs you need on an everyday basis, it's important to contact their foreign embassy before making your journey.
In these instances, you may get permission to travel with the medication.
If not, the embassy may recommend an alternative pill you can take during your travels.
A full list of the foreign embassies in the UK is available on the
Which countries ban prescription drugs?
provides a full list of commonly used drugs that can be controlled under misuse of drugs legislation.
One of these substances is codeine, which contains opiates.
As some heroin addicts use it as an alternative to the hard drug, it's banned in a wide variety of different countries.
Hong Kong and Greece are among the destinations where codeine is illegal.
Tramadol, a strong prescription-only painkiller related to morphine, is another drug that is commonly restricted.
Ant McPartlin recently opened up about his dependence on the highly-addictive drug.
Egypt and several different US states do not permit the substance.
Some countries, including Greece and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have strict laws as well.
In Singapore you need a license for anti-anxiety medication, sleeping pills and strong painkillers.
In Costa Rica, you can only bring enough meds for the length of your stay complete with a doctor’s note.
In Indonesia, codeine is also illegal, as is ADHD medication and some sleeping pills.
In Japan, common over-the-counter medication - such as Vicks and Sudafed – is banned as they contain pseudoephedrine.
This is because pseudoephedrine a drug which is of the amphetamine chemical classes.
China requires a doctor’s note to bring in medication.
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.
How can I check my medicine?
The UK Government’s warns people could face jail time if they don’t do the proper checks.
You may need to ‘prove’ a medicine has been prescribed to you if it contains a controlled drug.
And you may need a license to carry it if travelling for more than three months.
The website carries a list of all controlled drugs, but the website adds: “The list doesn’t give names of medicines, only drugs that are used in medicines.”
If you’re worried, cross reference the medicine against the list, which is available .
The Department of Health set up for travellers to get more information on carrying medicine abroad.
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The Government has advised you may need a letter from whoever prescribed your medicine, and you may have to produce this at the border.
The letter should contain:
- 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
You will need a license if you’re travelling for more than three months, and to get that you’ll need an application form available .
The advises people to follow certain rules when travelling medications.
They advise: “Always carry medicines and medical equipment (needles, syringes and so on) in their original, correctly labelled packages.
“Carry your medication in your hand luggage (although check your airline's regulations before travelling) with a copy of your prescription.”