Sudafed - Illegal in Mexico!

[Charlie99]

Texasscuba once bubbled...
Anne Harris is the Consular in Cozumel. She can be reached though usca@cozumel.net. TS

I took the more direct approach and e-mailed the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City yesterday.

Their response: "Mr. Allen,

I spoke to a DEA representative in the embassy. Psuedoephedrin is not actually a controlled substance in Mexico but it is a "monitored" substance. Because psuedoephedrin is widely used in the refining of methamphetahmine,
customs officials pay close attention when they find persons carrying it into and out of the country.

For this reason, the DEA and the Mexican officials have persuaded big pharmacies like Walmart that operate in Mexico to only sell the drug in small quantities-e.g. 6 tablets per sale per day.

My contact said a person entering Mexico with a quantity needed for personal use should not have a problem (e.g. if the regular dosage is 4 pills a day and the directions on the bottle indicate to take the drug for no more than 7 days before seeing a doctor, then a packet of 30 pills is not unreasonable to carry.) However, to be safe, the DEA agent recommends carrying the pills in their original packaging. For example, do not remove the pills from
their blister packs and put all of them in a plastic baggy because they will take up less room in your suitcase. It wouldn't hurt to bring the receipt of purchase with you as well.

Have a good trip.

-John "



-----Original Message-----
From: Mexico City, CCS [mailto:ccs@usembassy.net.mx]
Sent: Monday, August 18, 2003 11:35 AM
To: 'lewandowskij@state.gov'; 'usca@cozumel.net'
Subject: FW: Psuedoephedrin / SudaFed

For reply

Sincerely,

American Citizen Services
U.S. Embassy
Paseo de la Reforma 305
Colonia Cuauhtemoc
06500 Mexico, D.F.
Tel 52-55-5080-2000
Fax 52-55-5525-5040
http://www.usembassy-mexico.gov
email ccs@usembassy.net.mx

The above was in response to my email of:

Messages have been posted on the web at
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=34475

that quote the American Consul in Cozumel, Anne Harris as saying that
psuedoephedrin (Sudafed) is a controlled substance with 1-3 year jail term
for possessing even just the normal personal use amounts.

Sudafed is commonly used by divers to clear their sinuses before diving, so
this is of great personal interest to me.

Can someone at the embassy either confirm or clarify the regulations on
Sudafed/psuedoephedrine in Mexico?

Thanks in advance,

Charlie Allen

 

[DandyDon]

I used to take a cheaper OTC with the same ingredients until I started Nitrox. When I read that this could be dangerous, I called DAN, who required I have my physician call to get medical suggestions. He called, then called my pharmacy, and I took this expensive :$: med on three diving trips. Now I am convinced that it's worthless, at least for me.

Now, I take an antihistimine only while diving, until I finish - then go back to the antihistimine + decongestant. I knew that OTC purchases had been limited, but I nver dreamed that one could get busted. Now that I've read this, and the info given when I Google search "Sadafed - Mexico" I think I may toss any meds before returning! Dang this is a bit much. :banana:

 

[5615mike]

Charlie99

Way to go:bang:
Very resourceful and good stuff. Thanks for your efforts on that as I know many will be glad to know they can still carry their non-regulated but monitored substance.

 

[Texasscuba]

I posted the same warning on cozumel.net's board and got a much different response on what you can bring and what you can't. You may want to check out this board before everyone makes up their mind on this matter.

TS

 

[Otter]

I say just take it with you and see what happens....I mean really, what are they gonna do? Arrest you, throw you in jail, confiscate all of your equipment....oh wait, they might just do that.

Imagine, losing all of your SCUBA equipment for just wanting to not have the sniffles underwater

 

[ggunn]

Texasscuba once bubbled...
I posted the same warning on cozumel.net's board and got a much different response on what you can bring and what you can't. You may want to check out this board before everyone makes up their mind on this matter.

TS

I looked, and there seemed to be a lot of speculation, and some misinformation (to the best of my knowlege, pseudoephedrine is not tracked because of anything to do with cocaine, it's because it's a precursor in methamphetamine synthesis), but nothing "from the horse's mouth". I believe I will take to heart the advice from the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City (excellent research, Charlie99!) and keep doing what I always have, which is to bring enough sudafed, in the mfger's packaging, to get me through the trip, but not enough to stock a meth lab, and not worry about it.

As always, different strokes and YMMV...

One other thing - can we agree on an abbreviation for pseudoephedrine if we are going to keep talking about this? ;^)

 

[Texasscuba]

ggunn - I agree we do need an abbreviation for pseudoephedrine.

Well I put the info out there, everyone can do as they feel is best for they take to Cozumel.

TS

:boom:

 

[ggunn]

One more thing. Last May, on entering Cozumel, I hit the button and got a red light. They opened up the rolling cooler I use for luggage and went through it. I had two large boxes of Albertson's brand "sudafed" right near the top. Nothing happened.

Oh, and May before last, I bought pseudoephedrine at a farmacia OTC.

More anecdotal evidence, I know, but at least it's first hand. I really think that this is much ado about nothing.

 

[gbrandon]

Texasscuba once bubbled...
ggunn - I agree we do need an abbreviation for pseudoephedrine.

Well I put the info out there, everyone can do as they feel is best for they take to Cozumel.

TS

:boom:

Whyy are you being so adament about this? charlie 99 already emailed the consulate and they made it crystal clear that you could carry "normal" amounts without any problems. I think your friend ann is misinformed or didnt clearly understand what was being told to her. The whole thing sounds ridiculous. Just like others already posted here, if you arent starting a crank lab you have nothing to worry about. Ive been in mexico 4 times within the last year (tijuana, cozumel, cancun, ensanada) and sudafed was everywhere.

 

[Texasscuba]

Because my friend Anne ask me to post the warning. She is getting her informaiton from the local police department and she has had to help one american who was arrest in Cozumel. I could care less if anyone brings anything into Mexico, but I told her that I would help her by posting the info. I have posted her email address on this thread, please mail her and request why she feels so strongly on the matter. I do not know if it's a Mexico thing or just a local DA in Cozumel thing.

TS