HM Customs & Excise Notice 4

Taking medicines with you when you go abroad

July 1998 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 July 1998

Do you have any comments?

We would be pleased to receive any comments or suggestions you may have about this notice. Please write to:
Drugs Enforcement Policy Team
HM Customs and Excise
New King’s Beam House
22 Upper Ground
London SE1 9PJ
020-7865 5767/4934
020-7865 5910

Further help and advice

If you need further help or advice you can contact the Home Office Licensing Branch, or more copies of Customs and Excise Notices, please contact your local Customs and Excise or VAT Business Advice Centre, as appropriate. You will find this in the phone book under 'Customs and Excise'.

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 Collector for the region. Your local office will tell you how to contact the Collector. Ask for a copy of our code of practice on complaints (Notice 1000). If the Collector 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
020-7930 2292
020-7930 2298

Contents

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

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 (e.g. 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. See 'Permitted allowances'.

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.

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:
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.

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
020-7273 3806
To allow time for the licence to be issued be sure to apply at least 14 days before you leave the UK.

5 What if my medicine is not on the list?
If you have been prescribed a medicine which is not on the list of 'Permitted allowances' and you are unsure as to whether it contains a controlled drug, please check with Customs and Excise.

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

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.