I wonder if anyone can help here,
Me and my good lady are flying to Egypt in a few days, she needs to take an athsma inhaler on the flight with her and we have had different advice on if she is allowed or not and what paperwork she needs if any. The travel agents we booked it with don't seem to know or care now they have payment in full. The pharmacist said take the prescription with you and the nurse said take a doctors note. Does anyone have any idea what is needed to carry medication in your hand baggage ?
I dont want to cause a scene going through the check in/departures with the already twitchy armed rozzers with their mp5s and pistols strapped to their legs in readiness to eliminate any potential terror threat.

Plank

Taking medicines with you when you go abroad
HMRC Reference:Notice 4 (July 199 View Change History


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Contents
Foreword

1 The licensing rules for controlled drugs

2 What is a controlled drug?

3 Working out whether your medicines are within the permitted quantities

4 What if I need to take more than the limit?

5 What if my medicine is not on the list?

6 Will I have to declare my medicines to Customs in the UK?

7 Additional information

Further help and advice


top ^Foreword
This notice cancels and replaces Leaflet “Taking Medication Abroad - a guide for the public” (May 1996)

The information contained in this notice was up to date at the month shown on the cover

Do you have any comments?
We would be pleased to receive any comments or suggestions you may have about this notice. Please write to:

Drug Enforcement Policy Team
HM Customs and Excise
New King’s Beam House
22 Upper Ground
London SE1 9PJ

Tel (020) 7865 5767/4934
Fax (020) 7865 5910

top ^1 The licensing rules for controlled drugs
If you intend to take medicines with you when you go abroad you should read this Notice. Some medicines contain controlled drugs and there are limits on the amount you are allowed to take with you. If you have to take more than the allowance you will need to apply for a licence from the Home Office before you travel. The two main types of medicine are:

Medicines you buy without prescription (eg at supermarkets, general stores or pharmacists). There are no limits on these.
Medicines prescribed by your doctor may contain controlled drugs and you should always check the allowances for these (in good time before you travel) in case you need to get a licence. The allowances are shown in the list on page 4.
top ^2 What is a controlled drug?
In the context of this public notice the term controlled drug means any drug which is subject to control under the Misuse of Drugs legislation.

top ^3 Working out whether your medicines are within the permitted quantities
The permitted allowance for each drug is calculated on an average 15 day dosage. The medicine’s label will normally show the quantity of the drug it contains in milligrams. Sometimes medicines are labelled using other units. If so, the following conversion factor might be useful:

Ammount

Conversion factor


1 gram (g)

1000 milligrams (mg)


1 milligram (mg)

1000 micrograms


1 microgram

1000 nanograms


1 nanogram

1000 picograms



If the medicine is in liquid form, the volume and strength should enable you to work out the quantity of controlled drug contained within the medicine. If the quantity of a drug in your medicine is not clearly indicated, then please ask your doctor or pharmacist.

top ^4 What if I need to take more than the limit?
If the quantity you need to take is more than the permitted allowance, you must apply in writing to the Home Office for a licence, giving the following information:

1. Patient’s name, address, and date of birth;

2. Country or countries of destination;

3. Dates of departure from and return to the UK;

4. A letter from the prescribing doctor confirming the drug details (name form - eg liquid or capsule; strength; and total quantity).

Please write to:

Home Office Drugs Branch
Room 239
50 Queen Anne’s Gate
London SW1 9AH

Tel: 0171 273 3806

To allow time for the licence to be issued be sure to apply at least 14 days before you leave the UK.

top ^5 What if my medicine is not on the list?
If you have been prescribed a medicine which is not on the list on page 4, and you are unsure as to whether it contains a controlled drug, please check with Customs and Excise - see the details at the back of this notice.

top ^6 Will I have to declare my medicines to Customs in the UK?
If you are within the permitted quantities or have a licence there is no need to declare your medicines to UK Customs. However, in case you are questioned - either in the UK or abroad - it is a good idea to have with you a letter from your doctor confirming your need for the medication. Always carry medicines in a correctly labelled container as issued by the pharmacist.

Drugs controlled in this country are generally also controlled in other countries. Before you travel you should seek advice about the requirements of each country you intend to visit by contacting the appropriate Embassy or High Commission in the UK.

PERMITTED ALLOWANCES FOR CONTROLLED DRUGS THAT YOU CAN TAKE ABROAD WITHOUT A HOME OFFICE LICENCE

Brand name of medicine containing controlled drug

Name of controlled drug

Allowance in milligrams


Amytal

Barbiturate, Amylobarbitone

9000 mgs


Cyclimorph

Morphine Tartrate

1200 mgs


Dexedrine

Dexamphetamine Sulphate

900 mgs


Diconal

Dipipanone

600 mgs


Dihydrocodeine injection

Dihydrocodeine Tartrate

3600 mgs


Durogesic

Fentanyl

45 mgs


Duromine

Phentermine

450 mgs


Equagesic

Meprobamate

3600 mgs


Equanil

Meprobamate

3600 mgs


Fortagesic

Pentazocine Hydrochloride

9000 mgs


Fortral suppositories

Pentazocine Lactate

5400 mgs


Fortral

Pentazocine Lactate

5400 mgs


Fortral

Pentazocine Hydrochloride

9000 mgs


Fortral injection

Pentazocine Lactate

5400 mgs


Ionamin

Phentermine as resin complex

450 mgs


MST Continus

Morphine Sulphate

1200 mgs


Narphen

Phenazocine

450 mgs


Oramorph

Morphine Sulphate

1200 mgs


Oramorph Concentration

Morphine Sulphate

1200 mgs


Oramorph Unit Dose

Morphine Sulphate

1200 mgs


Palfium

Dextromoramide (as Tartrate)

900 mgs


Palfium Suppositories

Dextromoramide (as Tartrate)

900 mgs


Palladone

Hydromorphone

360 mgs


Pamergan P100

Pethidine Hydrochloride

2250 mgs


Pentazocine injection

Pentazocine Lactate

5400 mgs


Pentazocine

Pentazocine Hydrochloride

9000 mgs


Pentazocine suppositories

Pentazocine Lactate

5400 mgs


Pethidine

Pethidine Hydrochloride

2250 mgs


Pethidine injection

Pethidine Hydrochloride

2250 mgs


Phenobarbitone

Barbiturate, Phenobarbitone

2700 mgs


Physeptone

Methadone Hydrochloride

500 mgs


Physeptone injection

Methadone Hydrochloride

500 mgs


Prominal

Methylphenobarbitone

9000 mgs


Ritalin

Methylphenidate Hydrochloride

900 mgs


Rohypnol

Flunitrazepam

30 mgs


Seconal Sodium

Quinalbarbitone Sodium

3000 mgs


Sevredol

Morphine Sulphate

1200 mgs


Sodium Amytal

Amylobarbitone Sodium

9000 mgs


Sodium Amytal injection

Amylobarbitone Sodium

9000 mgs


Soneryl

Butobarbitone

4500 mgs


Sublimaze

Narcotic Analgesic, Fentanyl

45 mgs


Temazepam

Temazepam

900 mgs


Temgesic

Buprenorphine

24 mgs


Temgesic injection

Buprenorphine

24 mgs


Tuinal

Quinal Barbitone Sodium

3000 mgs



top ^7 Additional information
WARNING! Drug traffickers often use unsuspecting travellers. Never carry luggage or parcels through customs as a favour for someone else. You could be liable to prosecution under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 if controlled drugs are found in your possession.

Drugs Freefone Hotline

Everyone has a vital role to play in helping Customs protect society against drug smuggling. If you have any information that might help us please call our confidential 24 hour Freefone hotline - 0800 595000.As a result of such calls we make a large number of seizures of drugs that may otherwise go undetected.

top ^Further help and advice
If you need further help or advice or more copies of Customs and Excise Notices, please contact the National Advice Service. Our notices and other information are available on the Internet (http://www.hmce.gov.uk)

For VAT-registered businesses The VAT Enquiries Guide (Notice 700/51) explains what sort of information and advice services we provide.

If you have a complaint
If you have a complaint which the staff at your local office or at the port or airport cannot resolve you should contact the Regional Head for the region. Your local office will tell you how to contact the Regional Head. Ask for a copy of our code of practice on complaints (Notice 1000). If the Regional Head does not settle your complaint to your satisfaction, you can then ask the Adjudicator to look into it.

The Adjudicator, whose services are free, is an impartial referee whose recommendations are independent.

The address is:

The Adjudicator's Office
Haymarket House
28 Haymarket
London SW1Y 4SP

Tel: (020) 7930 2292
Fax: (020) 7930 2298
E-mail: adjudicators@gtnet.gov.uk
Internet: http://www.adjudicatorsoffice.gov.uk/

If in doubt, check your carrier's website. If that fails, call them.

Airline and Ground staff are (in my experience) pretty ignorant of what is and what isn't allowed. Slightly off this subject, but the difference in security screening checks at different UK and international airports is crazy.

The list of drugs on Mr Fingerz post - looks like a shopping list for MDN!

Asthma inhalor is ok to take on your person, I have travelled with a few asthmatics with no problem whatsoever

When I passed thro' Dubai earlier this year nothing of my prescribed medicines were checked. I was advised to obtain a 'print-out' of my med's from my GP, which I did.

http://www.know-insurance.co.uk/trav...ion_abroad.htm

If it is prescribed, and you have the box, they will have no problems with you.

Alternatively, you can ask for a print off of the medications you need to take (this is free of charge) and lsits the items you are entitled to.

I hope this helps.

OC