Vancouver man detained in Georgia for carrying ADHD meds, family says (www.cbc.ca)

submitted 2 days ago by grte@lemmy.ca to c/canada@lemmy.ca

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[-] kibblebits@quokk.au 68 points 2 days ago

Georgia the country not the state. But I was more surprised it wasn’t the state.

[-] cyberpunk007@lemmy.ca 18 points 2 days ago

My first assumption was the state 🫠

[-] kibblebits@quokk.au 4 points 2 days ago

Don’t walk down the street with ice cream in your pocket in Georgia (the state). It’s illegal!

[-] pomegranatefern@sh.itjust.works 1 points 1 day ago

Clicked specifically to see if it was the country or the state because I was 50/50.

[-] RodgeGrabTheCat@sh.itjust.works 14 points 2 days ago

Besides being held, there is no way he is getting his medication.

[-] CompactFlax@discuss.tchncs.de 7 points 2 days ago

I get nervous about travelling with my meds so I just go off for a while when I need to crossed borders. People with me get to enjoy the full experience. I don’t think that approach works for everyone though.

Pain medication are a different situation and also risky.

[-] Reannlegge@lemmy.ca 4 points 2 days ago

I accidentally trafficked opiates across a boarder once, years later I would find out I accidentally trafficked other controlled substances across boarders on different occasions. I could not go without my medications, even if I tried I would be a very angry person in so much pain, you are lucky that you can do without.

[-] TediousLength@lemmy.ca -2 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

This is gonna be a hot take, but fuck it...

This is 100% on them !

People nowadays travel internationally expecting to be treated with the same rights they are afforded from their home country. Anyone that travels with prescribed medication should know that you need to have some paperwork available to show local authorities. This will not be taught to you. There is no reason for you school to teach you about international travel restrictions. there is no reason for your doctor or pharmacist to assume that you will be traveling to other countries.

Before going abroad, you should always educate yourself on local customs, policies, and laws. Your failure to do so is on you, and you only. ADHD medication is heavily regulated in most countries. In some countries you are not even allowed to transport them in anything other than the prescribed bottle.

Traveling to an Eastern European country with amphetamines without a copy of your prescription is just plain stupid. And then trying to use a pharmacy receipt... That wouldn't pass here either.

This, to me, is plain entitlement. And then, they contact the news to try and gather sympathy for their stupidity.

Last quote of the article:

"And I really hope that more is done from the government to help."

[-] Rentlar@lemmy.ca 3 points 2 days ago

Clearly it's not being received well but unfortunately governments do put the onus on individuals to proactively do their research before travelling, whether you think that's reasonable or not. Definitely easy to forget or overlook if you're not used to travelling.

In Canada, here is official government information related to travelling abroad with medication.

Near the end it reads:

Understand that you’re subject to the laws of any country you’re visiting:

It’s your responsibility to know and abide by local laws.

Being a Canadian citizen does not protect you from prosecution, and consular officials can’t get you out of jail.

[-] Zedstrian@sopuli.xyz 4 points 2 days ago

In the U.S. at least, the end consumer typically doesn't get to keep the prescription, either because the doctor sends it electronically to the pharmacy or because the pharmacy keeps it to fill it. Assuming a similar situation in Canada, they might not have had the prescription to take with them in the first place.

[-] TediousLength@lemmy.ca 3 points 2 days ago

I'm just gonna refer you back to the comment you're answering to.

[-] Zedstrian@sopuli.xyz 6 points 2 days ago

Cultural differences don't justify locking a tourist up for months in inhumane conditions and charging them tens of thousands of dollars in fines merely for not carrying supplemental prescription documentation. It's yet another sign of the democratic backsliding occurring in the country.

[-] mech@feddit.org 8 points 2 days ago

That's not cultural difference, that's different laws.
You can be executed if you take weed to Singapore, something that may be perfectly legal where you live.
Educate yourself before you travel.

[-] i_love_FFT@jlai.lu 2 points 2 days ago

Where would be the best way to get this information? I onow it will depend kn the destination country, but you can't really rely on Google for that one, and the destination country may not classify/name meds the same way as your home country. (Look at acetaminophen and paracetamol for example. )

[-] SreudianFlip@sh.itjust.works 2 points 1 day ago

If you bring medicines with you, you're responsible for determining their legality before departing.

Contact the foreign government office accredited to Canada of the country you plan to visit to confirm the status of your medications.

From the Canadian government official website: https://travel.gc.ca/travelling/health-safety/medication

[-] magikmw@piefed.social 2 points 2 days ago

Polish foreign affairs office keeps a website of travel advisories for all countries in the world, including things like what medication might get you in trouble and how to prepare.

Idk how it works in other countries.