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Info needed ie: prescription drugs in Belize


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I also bought Hydrocodone, Amoxill, and Darvon in Belize. All packaged (sealed). The pharmacist at the pier is an American ( US schooled and licensed pharmacist) and is not a street drug dealer. They have nearly anything that you could ask for. The staff at the pharmacy are extremely knowledgeable and helpful (THEY ARE AMERICANS). This must be a common practice by cruisers because several passengers head straight for the pharmacy. I have a prescription here at home , but even with insurance it's cheaper in Belize. It's just a matter of choice. If you don't feel comfortable buying there, by all means don't.

Hydrocodone, Amoxill & Darvon, I find that a little hard to believe that you could buy that without a prescription, did you use your own doctor's prescription from home?

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What are the names of the pharmacies and do you recommend one more than the other? We're going in early January, parents spend a fortune monthly on high BP and cholesteral drugs. Can you get BP drugs such as Diovan? Additionally, everytime I've been to Mexico, I've purchased rescue inhalers for my asthma...can you get Singulair or any other asthma meds?? My asthma meds, before insurance (and thank God I have it) are $960.00 a month. If we need prescriptions, our doctors have provided them before.

 

Thanks for starting this thread.

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  • 7 months later...

I was also amazed that sleeping pills, xanax, muscle relaxers, pain meds, all sorts of meds are sold over the counter. People were lined up in the pharmacy to buy the drugs. I only bought a few headache pills....One of the girls on the ship bought a 90 day supply of Ambiem....$1 a pill....I dont know what the cost is in the US. We were told that a 90 day supply for your own use is fine to bring back....I didnt read anything official stating this, just word of mouth.

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I also bought Hydrocodone, Amoxill, and Darvon in Belize. All packaged (sealed). The pharmacist at the pier is an American ( US schooled and licensed pharmacist) and is not a street drug dealer. They have nearly anything that you could ask for. The staff at the pharmacy are extremely knowledgeable and helpful (THEY ARE AMERICANS). This must be a common practice by cruisers because several passengers head straight for the pharmacy. I have a prescription here at home , but even with insurance it's cheaper in Belize. It's just a matter of choice. If you don't feel comfortable buying there, by all means don't.

 

Did you need a prescription to buy all these? I guess I am confused on this post?

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Did you need a prescription to buy all these? I guess I am confused on this post?

 

if it is a controlled subtance then a prescrition will be needed. (I dont know if the listed items above are a controlled item)

\ Most medicines that we use here in the states you need a prescription but not in other places. Cozumel is the same way. Lots of stuff can be had over the counter.

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None needed. We bought anti-depressants, tranquilizers, muscle relaxants, and ED medications. These are all things that we're prescribed for at home, but we had no scripts with us.

 

The one thing they don't carry is insulin type meds. The pharmacist said her nephew has to send to Miami for his insulin. She looked at my husband's insulin pen (he thought it was too old) and said it would be fine to use.

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I was also confused.....before going....but a whole bunch of RX's are over the counter in Belize....Ambien, xanax, valium, lipitor, high blood pressure pills, antibiotics, pain relief....lots more....are available without an RX...just go in and tell the pharmacist what you want...This isnt the case in Mexico....antibiotics and a few other rx's are over the counter, but nothing like Belize...People were lining up to buy.

 

My ?? is.....The phamacist were giving their emails and telling people that they can order meds....can meds be ordered in the us without a script?

 

One of the CC members bought a 3 month supply of Ambien....The box showed the manufacturor and address to be the same as Ambien purchased in the US.

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I was also confused.....before going....but a whole bunch of RX's are over the counter in Belize....Ambien, xanax, valium, lipitor, high blood pressure pills, antibiotics, pain relief....lots more....are available without an RX...just go in and tell the pharmacist what you want...This isnt the case in Mexico....antibiotics and a few other rx's are over the counter, but nothing like Belize...People were lining up to buy.

 

It is illegal to bring them back to the USA if you don't have a prescription for them. We live in Montana and people are getting in trouble going to Canada and doing this same thing. If you have a prescription, then it's ok.

 

 

DRUG PENALTIES AND PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS: Penalties for drug offenses are strict, and convicted offenders can expect large fines and jail sentences up to 25 years. The purchase of controlled medication requires a prescription from a licensed Mexican physician; some Mexican doctors have been arrested for writing prescriptions without due cause. In those instances, American citizens who bought the medications have been held in jail for months waiting for the Mexican judicial system to decide their fate. The Mexican list of controlled medication differs from that of the United States, and Mexican public health laws concerning controlled medication are unclear and often enforced selectively. To determine whether a particular medication is controlled in Mexico, and requires a prescription from a Mexican doctor for purchase, please consult the website of the Mexican Federal Commission for Protection Against Health Risks at http://www.cofepris.gob.mx/pyp/estpsic/es.htm.

 

The U.S. Embassy recommends that U.S. citizens not travel to Mexico for the sole purpose of buying prescription drugs. U.S. citizens have been arrested and their medicines confiscated by the Mexican authorities, even though their prescriptions were written by a licensed American physician and filled by a licensed Mexican pharmacist. There have been cases of Americans buying prescription drugs in border cities only to be arrested soon after or have money extorted by criminals impersonating police officers. Those arrested are often held for the full 48 hours allowed by Mexican law without charges being filed, then released. During this interval, the detainees are often asked for bribes or are solicited by attorneys who demand large fees to secure their release, which will normally occur without any intercession, as there are insufficient grounds to bring criminal charges against the individuals. In addition, U.S. law enforcement officials believe that as much as 25 percent of medications available in Mexico are counterfeit and substandard. Such counterfeit medications may be difficult to distinguish from the real medication and could pose serious health risks to consumers. The importation of prescription drugs into the United States can be illegal in certain circumstances. U.S. law generally permits persons to enter the United States with only an immediate (about one-month's) supply of a prescription medication. Further information on bringing prescription drugs into the United States is available from U.S. Customs and Border Protection at " Know Before You Go ."

 

The U.S. Embassy cautions that possession of any amount of prescription medicine brought from the United States, including medications to treat HIV and psychotropic drugs such as Valium, can result in arrest if Mexican authorities suspect abuse or if the quantity of the prescription medicine exceeds the amount required for several days' use. Individuals should consider carrying a copy of the prescription and a Mexican doctor's letter explaining that the quantity of medication is appropriate for their personal medical use.

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Well.....they better have the paddywagon at the ports then....because lots of cruise ship pax were loading up on everything....I think it was even discussed at the shopping class on ship....I wasnt really paying close attention but I think they said it was ok if it was for your use, a reasonable amount.....i.e. no more than a 3 month supply.....I have great insurance....so buying pills in Belize or Mexico is not an draw for me....I just found the whole thing surreal and interesting to watch.

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If you haven't educated yourself, do yourself a favor... know what you are getting into. It's worth spending a few moments of your time rather than 10 months in Mexican jail.

 

Is it true that I can buy drugs like Valium and Percodan over-the-counter in Mexico?

No! Not any longer!

 

Back in the Sixties and Seventies, before the Mexican government started enforcing the law, it used to be possible to buy most anything you wanted “over the counter”, without a prescription. Today, however, any drug classified as a controlled medicine cannot be purchased in Mexico without a Mexican prescription. This prescription must also be written by a federally registered physician. Purchasing a controlled medicine without a valid prescription is a felony (repeat: a felony!) for both the purchaser and the seller. (See Purchasing Prescription Drugs In Mexico, Part One. )

 

• Do Mexican cops arrest tourists with medicines?

 

Mexico’s laws governing medicines are similar to those in the United States. Possession of controlled medicines is legal as long as the medications are in a properly marked prescription bottle from a U.S. or Canadian doctor. You shouldn't have more doses in the bottle than are authorized by the prescription. If your meds aren’t in such a container, you must have a photocopy of a valid Mexican prescription. On the off chance that a cop checks your medicines, and your prescription agrees with the brand and quantity of the drug, the police should accept that the medicine is legal and go about their business.

 

When in doubt, just remind yourself that wherever you go in Mexico, the U.S., or Canada, controlled drugs need a prescription.

 

In Mexico, medications such as Valium, Vicodin, Placidyl, Ambien, codeine, and Ativan are not legally sold over-the-counter without a valid prescription from a Mexican physician. If you succeed in purchasing controlled medicines without benefit of a prescription, Mexican cops can bust you on a dope charge... and you can forget about bail. Several highly publicized arrests of Americans in Mexico leave little doubt, at least in my mind, that illegal purchases of controlled medicines may be a setup. The penalty for such offenses is usually six months to a year in an uncomfortable Mexican prison. Getting out of jail with a well-placed bribe may... or may not be an option.

 

Do yourself a favor and never try to circumvent the law. Get a prescription! You can read more here (pages and pages) http://www.peoplesguide.com/1pages/chapts/health/buymed/prescription-faq/02-buying-drugs-faq.html#Anchor-Do-14210

 

From the US Dept of State:

Avoid drug offenses.

Mexico rigorously prosecutes drug cases. Under Mexican law, possession of and trafficking in illegal drugs are federal offenses. For drug trafficking, bail does not exist. Convicted offenders can expect lengthy jail sentences and fines. Sentences for possession of drugs in Mexico can be as long as 25 years plus fines. Just as in the U.S., the purchase of controlled medication requires a doctor's prescription. The Mexican list of controlled medication differs from the U.S. list and Mexican public health laws concerning controlled medication are unclear. Possession of excessive amounts of a psychotropic drug such as Valium can result in your arrest if the authorities suspect abuse. Mexican law does not differentiate between types of narcotics. Heroin, marijuana, and amphetamines, for example, are treated the same. Offenders found guilty of possessing more than a token amount of any narcotic substance are subject to a minimum sentence of 10 months in prison, and it is not uncommon for persons charged with drug offenses to be detained for up to 1 year before a verdict is reached.

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You are correct.....A couple pax's tried to buy RX's in Mexico....i.e.....Cozumel and Playa and only antibiotics and a couple other things were available without an RX....but Belize is a different story....Belize is S. America....and these drugs were being sold very openly at the pharmacy in the secured cruise ship port....In my posts I was speaking of what I saw in Belize, not Mexico.

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Belize is in Central America, but if you are looking for a continent, it is still North America.

 

Many of the drugs sold in the Belize pharmacy are "generic" formulations.

 

As for Mexico, don't think I ever met a pharmacia that didn't have a doctor on call to prescribe just about anything.

 

Also, Mexico is becoming less restrictive, not more.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/americas/04/28/mexico.drugs.ap/index.html

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Oh no....I failed geography tonight to be sure....You are right....Central America(blush).....You are also correct that the drugs in Belize are mostly generic...However, the Ambien the other pax bought, said Ambien....My dh had a fit when I bought a couple migraine pills...He was sure they were tainted or wouldnt work..and when I get a migraine....he surely wants them to work...I was a bit taken back when the pharmacist handed them to me in a zip lock baggie, with the pill name written on the front with permanant marker.......I didnt have my rx from home and thought I would have some on hand, if needed...They are still in the baggie....which I will probably throw out....I also think dh was wondering how I was going to explain my 6 pills in the baggie if I was questioned.....

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The pharmacy in the tourist village makes far too much money to rip people off or to sell tainted merchandise.

 

The drugs are packaged in specific quantities, and if you buy in a different quantity they have to break the original package up. It is true they don't have the plastic pill bottles we are used to getting from our local pharmacy. If the pills aren't packaged in a blister pack, a baggy is what you get.

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I didnt mean to insinuate that the pharmacy in the Belize port was ripping people off....just that my dh was trying to discourage me from purchasing pills. I am sure the pills are fine. I have a script from my dr and local pharmacist for migraine meds....I forgot to pack the RX and purchased the smallest amount that the Belize pharm. would sell to get me through the trip, if needed..Thankfully, they werent needed!

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You really didn't - just that some might find the baggy packaging suspicious.

 

Just bring your own pill containers if desired. One thing you do lose with the baggy solution is the expiration date of the pills, so you might want to check on that before you leave.

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Guess I should explain mo' bettah. Everything I've seen was fresh, just that if you are going to keep anything for an extended period (like over a year), the expiration date is of interest. If you buy anything packaged or in a blister pack it will have, but if in a baggy, then I would ask about the expiration date.

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We were on the Miracle to Cozumel, Belize etc...we rented a car in Cozumel and stopped at least at 5 drug stores. I had taken a detailed list of all our expensive meds. Lipitor, Zyrtec etc.....Since we were there anyway we looked at every port.:eek: Curious...heck meds are expensive...no harm looking:rolleyes:

However.....we did stop where the locals shop, out of the tourist area. No place did we find any of our prescription meds cheaper than what we paid at home.

 

Sorry...we looked everywhere...we would have tried them, hoping they were not imitations. But the price was not worth pursuing.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Yes, Belize and Mexico are two different stories as far as RX drugs go. Belize it seems anything goes....while in Mexico (playa, coz) the only rx drugs that are available were antibiotics, lipitor, high blood pressure meds....while in Belize people were buying all sorts of stuff. At least here in TX Ambien, xanax are controlled....but in Belize it was over the counter...

I dont think that most of the people that were buying in belize were worried about cost savings...but were able to get RX drugs that possibly would be harder to get in the US as you have to have a prescription, which involves getting a dr to agree to it.

As for me, I will stick to letting my insurance pay for my RX's as my copays are $5 or 15....much cheaper than anything in Belize.

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