Bringing medicine from the US

Jad · Post by **Jad** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 10:09 am

Going home (US)for Christmas and thinking of stocking up on flu medicine and multivitamins for the whole family, also some diet pills (for a friend

). I've now heard that bringing medicine into Finland is illegal

If I decide to risk it and customs stop me to check my bag, what's the worst that could happen

If confiscating the medicine is the worse that could happen then I might risk it, but if it means being fined or having my name placed in their computer etc.., then I obviously won't.

**Sponsor:**

Tiwaz · Post by **Tiwaz** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 11:07 am

How about just not doing it since you are aware that it is illegal?

Or is it too much to ask? Respecting the law...

rinso · Post by **rinso** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 11:52 am

If I decide to risk it and customs stop me to check my bag, what's the worst that could happen

Revoke your RP.

jas_rho · Post by **jas_rho** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 12:17 pm

I have brought back every time I visit the US and never once been stopped. I've just had things like the 500 pill bottle of Wal-Mart brand Tylenol, as well as cold medicine etc. Not tons and tons for all my friends though so I guess it depends on that too. If you have a lot which can be considered not to be for personal use they might take them away. But I think its a good idea to bring at least for yourself, medicine is WAY cheaper there than here. Think how much it would cost to buy 500 pills of the cheapest kind of ibuprofen/aspirin/whatever here compared to a 7.99USD bottle from walmart

sinikettu · Post by **sinikettu** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 12:25 pm

Jad wrote:thinking of stocking up on flu medicine and multivitamins .

If you bring in a very small amount(one bottle open and seal broken) which appears to be in the eyes of the customs officer "for your own personal use" He will probably just say "dont do it again!"
But if you have several packets..He could well turn nasty and then it could mean.
1:Long delay while they decide what to do.
OK..Yes..confiscate and official warning.
OK No
2: Personal full search..more delay.
OK Yes confiscate and official warning note on your records.
OK No...
3: Wait for someone from embassy...more delay.
Worst case scenario
Moi moi residents permit.

IT IS ILLEGAL IF YOU WANT TO LIVE IN FINLAND OBEY THE LAWS!

Jad · Post by **Jad** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 1:02 pm

Thanks for the replies.

jas_rho wrote:I've just had things like the 500 pill bottle of Wal-Mart brand Tylenol, as well as cold medicine etc.

That's exactly what I had in mind.

Jad wrote:
sinikettu wrote:
If you bring in a very small amount(one bottle open and seal broken) which appears to be in the eyes of the customs officer "for your own personal use" He will probably just say "dont do it again!"

The ''one bottle open and seal broken'' is a good idea. The amount of what I was thinking of bringing would have been very small .. I am sure the customs officer would have seen that it was for personal use.

But anyway, Point taken guys .. besides, I sweat easily and will probably have GUILTY written all over my face, so I think I'll forget about it. Thanks for all the replies.

EP · Post by EP » Fri Dec 18, 2009 1:21 pm

Just makes me wonder. Do people really have so many aches and pains? I am not young but I think 500 painkillers would have lasted me a lifetime.

jas_rho · Post by **jas_rho** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 1:23 pm

EP wrote:Just makes me wonder. Do people really have so many aches and pains? I am not young but I think 500 painkillers would have lasted me a lifetime.

It's not just for one person

EP · Post by EP » Fri Dec 18, 2009 1:27 pm

It's not just for one person

Still.

Tiwaz · Post by **Tiwaz** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 2:00 pm

jas_rho wrote:
EP wrote:Just makes me wonder. Do people really have so many aches and pains? I am not young but I think 500 painkillers would have lasted me a lifetime.
It's not just for one person

Which again goes against the concept "for personal use".

And indeed, still...

Those drugs are going to be way over "use by date" by the time any normal family would be through 500 pills.

jas_rho · Post by **jas_rho** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 2:58 pm

Tiwaz wrote:
jas_rho wrote:
EP wrote:Just makes me wonder. Do people really have so many aches and pains? I am not young but I think 500 painkillers would have lasted me a lifetime.
It's not just for one person
Which again goes against the concept "for personal use".

And indeed, still...

Those drugs are going to be way over "use by date" by the time any normal family would be through 500 pills.

Personal use includes family members or the household members. And at least the drugs that we get last for a long time. And of course I enjoy taking several each night to help me go to sleep, with a bottle of Kossu.

Pursuivant · Post by **Pursuivant** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 3:25 pm

It also depends if the stuff is "off-the shelf" - mind you though Finland is quite strict of what is considered as "medicine" and must be sold only in pharmacies.

onkko · Post by **onkko** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 3:31 pm

Remember also that if you bring wrong kind of stuff, for example something with codeine in it, what is freely available in other countries can be drug offence in finland.

sinikettu · Post by **sinikettu** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 4:03 pm

jas_rho wrote:
Personal use includes family members or the household members.

BS...personal use means for the use of the passenger in whose luggage the "Illegal Substance" was found. The customs officer will not be the slightest bit interested in the "claim" that the said passenger/suspect might have a tribe of kids who will be sharing this illegal substance(s).

jas_rho · Post by **jas_rho** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 4:10 pm

sinikettu wrote:
jas_rho wrote:
Personal use includes family members or the household members.
BS...personal use means for the use of the passenger in whose luggage the "Illegal Substance" was found. The customs officer will not be the slightest bit interested in the "claim" that the said passenger/suspect might have a tribe of kids who will be sharing this illegal substance(s).

Ok so if I try to say that my 5 kilos of heroine is for my whole family to share I understand I probably will get in trouble. But if I have some over the counter medicine that is not going outside of my household then there aren't going to be any issues. At least I never have had, and my bags have been through x-rays, opened (where the note from airport securty politely says that they searched my bags), and they have never made any comments about the pain killers.

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