Taking Class A's Medications/(Opiates) Abroad

[Rybee]

Hi All,

I know it's possibly a long shot, and obviously I'll seek advice from the Spanish Embassy and my GP next week, but does anyone know much on taking scheduled drugs abroad - specifically Spain/Barcelona: for around 4 days.

I've just found out that I'm going to Barcelona next Friday (18th) Sep, for around 4 days. I take Morphine (a mix of MS Contin & Liquid Morphine Sulfate) for pain management, and at the moment my spine's been largely okay so I just take it pro re nata. However, it's likely that during those days I'll be doing a lot of walking in the day and be out at bars/clubs at night until late (standing up for prolonged periods is the absolute worst for my back pain) so it's inevitably going to seize up and I'll most definitively need some pain relief so I'm going to take the morphine with me.

I've read so much different information online and don't know what's true and what's not, or whether it's just outdated, so thought I'd call the Spanish embassy to double check. I called them yesterday (Friday) and whilst polite and somewhat helpful, the girl I spoke to just wasn't 100% sure so asked to double check on the rules and call me back next week. I understand that as I'm going for less than 30 days I wont need a license. However, I've got a few questions I'm hoping someone can clear up for me:

- Do I specifically need a letter from my doctor, or will the latest copy of my prescription which details my p/x'd medications and doses be sufficient? (I'm just mindful that getting a quick appointment is hard as it is, and that they're always slow to write letters and I possibly wont get it by Thursday - plus they'll be an, undoubtedly, extortionate 'admin fee' for this?



- I'm going for around 4 days, but there's a possibility that I may stay longer. Some people have said that if a Dr's letter is required, it'll have to note my arrival/departure date and the exact daily p/x'd dose which will then total what I'm permitted to be carrying.

a) Am I limited in taking any more than my daily prescribed dose - a 'buffer' as such, or am I limited to exactly what my prescription says?

b) My flights are already booked, but could I take ~2 weeks worth, in case I either end up staying longer or using more whilst I'm there - I don't want to catch myself short?



- My morphine sulfate (liquid) comes in a 300ml bottle (600mg) and I ran out a few days ago so picked up a new bottle today.

a) I'm pretty sure that despite strictly only being allowed to carry 100ml bottles of liquid by hand luggage on airlines these days, as it is classed as an 'essential medication' I will be allowed to carry it in the larger 300ml bottle? Is this correct? The bottle will still most likely be sealed. Is there anything I need to do about that?

b) If I'm not allowed to carry a 300ml bottle of liquid, and I'm only allowed to take my maximum p/x'd daily dose (which for the liquid is 10mg TDS, so 30mg per day, 120mg over 4 days = 60ml. How would I go about containing/carrying that? And again, what happens if I end up staying and needing more?



- Not sure if I believe it, but I read that 'traveling' medications are generally classed as 'narcotic' or 'psychotropic' and both carry restrictions. My sleep's been quite bad lately so I've been p/x'd Quetiapine/Seroquel. Other than carrying it in original packaging and my prescription for it, would I need to do anything about this too? I know it's not scheduled in the UK but would it be classed as 'psychotropic' and how much of it would I be able to take?



Sorry, I know these may seem vague questions and people may not know the answers, but as said, I'm obviously going to chase it up with the Spanish Embassy on Monday morning to ensure that I'm all in good order. I just want to kind of prepare for anything if I need to make sure anything needs to be done this week to enable it. I'm working all day Mon-Thursday so wont have much time in the day to sort things.



Any other advice would be great thanks. I've just read some horror stories of people being caught out by unintentionally not complying.

Thanks all,

 

[steewith2ees]

Youl'l have no problem with the Quetiapine at all - I havnt a clue about the morphine but im on daily methadone which is also Schedule 2 so I would be in a similar position to you if I wanted to take it abroad. Ill ask my pharmacist later if shes ever had to prepare schedule 2 or 3 drugs for travel and exactly what the bureaucracy is at their end at least

 

[smackydowners]

cant you put it in your cargo luggage and if questioned pull out ya script?

 

[Rybee]

Youl'l have no problem with the Quetiapine at all - I havnt a clue about the morphine but im on daily methadone which is also Schedule 2 so I would be in a similar position to you if I wanted to take it abroad. Ill ask my pharmacist later if shes ever had to prepare schedule 2 or 3 drugs for travel and exactly what the bureaucracy is at their end at least

Thanks - would really appreciate that buddy.

cant you put it in your cargo luggage and if questioned pull out ya script?

Yeah I would, but as I think I'm only going for a few days I'm only taking a little hand luggage so nothing in the cargo bay.

Plus even if I was taking a suitcase, I always take meds in my hand luggage, just in case they lost my luggage in cargo.

 

[Bearlove]

why not split your bottle into three smaller ones, stick in your hand luggage and take your prescription and doctors telephone number in the chance that you get stopped. This will be easier than trying to get one large bottle as it would be taken off you at the gate and given to you on the flight if needed or returned to you once you land (this would probably be a the pilots discretion).

Your not hiding anything, your openly carrying your medication and you have split it down to make carrying it onto the flight easier.

 

[THECATINTHEHAT]

You need the note as you describe it. I've carried scripted methadone abroad without one but it's not advisable, could causeyou a lot of troubles if you don't have said note and they stop you.

 

[One Thousand Words]

Doctors note or not, they won't let you carry a 300 ml bottle. They will confiscate your liquid and will not give it to you at the end. You are better off checking your luggage regardless.

 

[Bearlove]

Doctors note or not, they won't let you carry a 300 ml bottle. They will confiscate your liquid and will not give it to you at the end. You are better off checking your luggage regardless.

Or splitting your dose down - 300 / 3 bottles - you need how much for your stay - take one x 100 ml or 2 etc.

 

[One Thousand Words]

You would need three official medicine bottles correctly labeled though. Try to carry in schedule 1 meds in a shampoo bottle will likely raise a few questions. The time saved by not checking in your luggage will be easily lost trying to explain the situation in Spanish to a testy customs official.

Mind you he is travelling within the EU on a European passport so he might just stroll through no questions asked. Personally I'd check it underneath and not take the risk.

 

[steewith2ees]

The UK currently uses 2 pieces of legislation to control access to certain drugs, The Misuse Of Drugs Act and the Medicines Act, which places drugs in different Schedules according to their relative harm and there potential use as medicines. The Misuse of Drugs Act simply specifies a list of drugs that are unlawful to posses in the UK unless you have a: a license from the home office allowing you to possess a specified 'controlled drug', (in the UK this is any drug that falls under the scope of the MODA.) or b; if you have a valid prescription for the 'controlled drug', as some of them are of course also legitimate medicines (i.e morphine, which is considered a Class A drug, allegedly the most harmful kind according to our ABC + Temporary Class system within our misuse of drugs act.) The other obvious controlled drugs that can be lawfully possessed if prescribed include Diamorphine (Heroin), Methadone, the barbiturates and the benzodiazepines.

Going back to the Medicines Act, they are split into 6 schedules which are based on relative harm but it also takes into account the medical potential for certain conttrolled drugs, meaning that certain 'illegal' drugs can be legally possessed if prescfribed. Scgedule 1 medicines in the are completely illegal to possess unless you have a license from the UK Home Office. They consist of all the drugs that have no current official use as medicines in the UK, such as Street Cannabis, MDMA, LSD and Crack Cocaine (I think cocaine hydrochloride is in there as well as I dont think there are any medicinal products or preparations still used in the UK that have Cocaine as the active ingredient).

Schedule 2 generally includes all the harmful narcotics that still have use as legitimate medicines, such as most strong opiates and opioids. Prescrption amphetamines and Ritalin falls into this schedule as well. Schedule 3 includes the barbiturates, and 2 specific benzodiazepines, Flunitrazepam (rohypnol) and Temazepam. Schedule 4 includes diazepam and the rest of the benzodiazepines, and although they are not subject to the restrictive guidelines concerning the prescription and dispensation of schedule 2 & 3 drugs, they now all fall under class C of the misuse of drugs act and are illegal to possess without a prescription.

I know this has been a completely pointless post but im bored. With OTW's contribution to the thread, the water gets muddied when describing things such as scheduled and controlled drugs, so as he is an antipodean, I thought Id just try and re-iterate the current UK system so we all know what were describing when discussing the OP's situation and the bureaucracy he faces while sorting his travel meds out. Plus, its one last chance to take stock of our fucked up system before the blanket ban comes in and muddies the water even further

Drivel attack over

Stee

 

[Bearlove]

You would need three official medicine bottles correctly labeled though. Try to carry in schedule 1 meds in a shampoo bottle will likely raise a few questions. The time saved by not checking in your luggage will be easily lost trying to explain the situation in Spanish to a testy customs official.

Mind you he is travelling within the EU on a European passport so he might just stroll through no questions asked. Personally I'd check it underneath and not take the risk.

Some chemists will do this for you especially for this type of thing - if not then checking your case in containing your medication is the best choice.

 

[SmokingAces]

What Bearlove says. Your hand luggage gets a much closer check than your suitcase, you would have absolutely zero problems taking meds with you in a suitcase. They really don't scruitinize luggage that badly within the EU. Might be different if you were carrying a brick of Class A's but small amounts of meds will be no problem.

I would just take less hand luggage and check in a small suitcase, get the letter if you can too and you will be fine.