Customs - bringing in prescribed opiate pain medication

You're going to have to take great care in every Asian country with drugs of that nature.
The laws are very strict and the punishments are very harsh.

All drugs must be declared before travelling and kept in a plastic bag with all appropriate documentation to show they are held legally, this including any paperwork from the countries concerned.

Also, watch out for transit airports as some countries will take a very dim view even if you have no intention of staying there and the drugs are perfectly legal in your home and destination counties.
This applies in all airports but especially so in middle eastern countries.

Hi Fred, thank you for the reply. I have been finding out how difficult it is and spent weeks getting nowhere fast on contacting the Ministry of Health. Any ideas on how I might find out where to contact them?

As you absolutely must contact every country concerned, perhaps you should call their nearest embassy, probably in London. Speak to whoever you can, not just homing in on one ministry but make sure you get some sort of letter from them to prove you have been cleared to travel with the drugs.

You can buy codeine over the counter here..just sayin'.

That's the plan but in practice getting an answer is rediculous

Thaiger wrote:

You can buy codeine over the counter here..just sayin'.

Not so easy as you think. I've been to literally 20 or more pharmacies all around Hanoi. Not a Vicodin (or a generic) to be found.

I just get dumb stares.

I have never needed them, but talks I have had with a doctor friend tell me that opiates are one of the few things that will need a written prescription.  Your best bet to find them would not be the corner Nhà thuốc tây but at the pharmacy of the hospital where the doctor practices.  I know this will be of little use to the OP for a short stay, but may point others the right way.

Another useful drug that may be impossible to find is Pseudoephedrine.   It is by far the best nasal decongestant.  It used to be marketed in the US as Sudafed but is now restricted as it is the base ingredient for crystal methedrine.  My respiratory physician had spent time working at the CDC in the US and knew of it.  He gave me a prescription but admitted to me that he had no idea if it could be found.

Unfortunately I have to take a seriously powerful cocktail of opiate medication due to 3 years tolerance to opiates. This is because I have a bad neck injury. I am now on the equivalent to 147mg of Morphine per day with other powerful drugs. The equivalent is 1470mg Codiene per day and imagine much too toxic for this type of drug. Though I recon no chance of getting this amount at any pharmacy anywhere in the world. Though I do appreciate your reply and intention to help : )

Any idea how to contact the Ministry of Health?

Deleted.
Sent PM instead.

Codeine can be made by cold water filtration of the co-codamol paracetamol tablets or just get terpin codein tablets for a cough/ sore throat.

terpin is not toxic and each pil is 10 mg codein. a box of 20 is 12k, so dirt-cheap. can buy as many as u want. also come with guillaume?? another natural oil , non-toxic. available everywhere.

Wouldnt take more than 25 though as they actually kinda uncomfortably tighten your throat.

Interesting but I'd need an awful lot. 150 tablets a day! Certainly something if needs must...
Thank you for the info.