U.S. Customs prohibits the importation of narcotic drugs such as heroin, cocaine, marijuana, LSD (a powerful hallucinogen), as well as sedatives, sleeping pills, stimulants, antidepressants, antiepileptic drugs, and certain medications that are prone to abuse by criminals!
Although the national guidelines suggest that Class A over-the-counter medications should be purchased and used under the guidance of a licensed pharmacist, the reality is that patients can often buy them directly without a pharmacist's advice, and many do not carefully read the instructions.
This is not alarmist; for example, these two items! White Plus Black and Domperidone are prohibited from being brought into the country!
You may be wondering, why?
Domperidone, a popular health medication in China, is illegal in the United States due to its active ingredient. The FDA has even issued warnings stating that all medications containing domperidone are illegal, and it refuses to allow corresponding finished products and raw materials into the United States. The reason is that FDA experts unanimously believe that domperidone has serious side effects, including causing arrhythmias, cardiac arrest, and sudden death...
Similarly, White Plus Black, Tylenol, and Contac can be used to produce methamphetamine and cannot be taken out of the country in large quantities! Because ephedrine has a strong central nervous system stimulating effect, it is the primary raw material for making methamphetamine. "Ephedrine mainly comes from the plant Ephedra, and traditional Chinese medicines containing ephedrine cannot be taken abroad."
Many people are unaware of the U.S. Customs' definitions of prohibited items, and there are numerous cases where many Chinese individuals have been affected in their "landing" plans, with some even imprisoned for bringing just a few packets of medication! Previously, you may have heard that items like beef jerky and seafood cannot be brought! Good, you have made progress... However, that is just a small case!
To prevent Chinese individuals from bringing certain traditional Chinese medicines (herbal medicines) for health or treatment purposes, the Chinese embassies in the United States and Canada, along with U.S. Customs authorities, have explicitly published a series of lists reminding people which medications cannot be brought into North America: such as Rohypnol (also known as Flunitrazepam, a hallucinogenic drug), GHB (a hallucinogenic drug), Fen-Phen (a weight loss drug), etc.
Alright, if the above academic terms make you dizzy, let us tell you which traditional Chinese medicines (or herbal medicines) contain these ingredients? Additionally, various herbal medicines such as Ephedra cannot be taken out of the country either. Herbal medicines are considered plants, and foreign governments are concerned that they may carry parasites.
Traditional Chinese medicines related to animals, such as tiger bone wine and bear bile powder, should also not be taken out of the country, as tigers and bears are nationally protected animals, and there is a strong awareness of wildlife protection abroad.
Therefore, before going to the United States, if you are unsure about what can and cannot be brought, it is best to check the following website for confirmation. The general principle is that only medications that can be legally prescribed within the United States can be brought in for personal use, as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not allow unapproved foreign medications to enter the United States.