Sudafed - Illegal in Mexico!

[DivemasterSteve]

Texasscuba once bubbled...
Because my friend Anne ask me to post the warning. She is getting her informaiton from the local police department and she has had to help one american who was arrest in Cozumel. I could care less if anyone brings anything into Mexico, but I told her that I would help her by posting the info. I have posted her email address on this thread, please mail her and request why she feels so strongly on the matter. I do not know if it's a Mexico thing or just a local DA in Cozumel thing.

TS

i for one want to thank you sir for the info, i have not been to Cozumel yet but plan to in the near future. i have always taken at least one full box (96 count) with me being i cant get down at all without taking them (VERY bad sinuses) and being i have ran several trips i take extra for the people going with me that might not think about it.

thanks,
steve

 

[Charlie99]

Texasscuba once bubbled...
Because my friend Anne ask me to post the warning. She is getting her informaiton from the local police department and she has had to help one american who was arrest in Cozumel. I could care less if anyone brings anything into Mexico, but I told her that I would help her by posting the info. I have posted her email address on this thread, please mail her and request why she feels so strongly on the matter. I do not know if it's a Mexico thing or just a local DA in Cozumel thing.

TS

I've forwarded to her your comments here, and the e-mail from the US Embassy in Mexico City, and requested a clarification of the rules regarding Sudafed in Mexico, and in particular Cozumel.

 

[deepstops]

Texasscuba once bubbled...
I just returned from Cozumel and had a chance to have lunch with the America Consular, Anne Harris. She advised me that Pseudoephedrine, also know as sudafed, was a controlled substance in Mexico. 1-3 years in a mexican prison. She told that she just found out a few months ago when an america was arrested at the airport while trying to leave and sudafed was discovered in her bags.
Just wanted to send out the warning.
TS

:sniper: :mgun:

Is a "consular" anything like a consulate?? Is this sounds like some serious misinformation.....

 

[Charlie99]

I just received a reply from the American Consul in Cozumel. She has consulted with the local pharmacy and officials and she believes that Sudafed / psuedoephedrin BY ITSELF is a controlled substance, but when mixed with other chemicals (I assume such as antihistamine or a pain reliever) then it isn't.

The consul and the US Embassy in Mexico City are now e-mailing and faxing stuff back and forth trying to sort things out.

I'll post any update from the embassy.

 

[Texasscuba]

Thank You Charlie99.

TS

 

[DandyDon]

I think that "Sudafed / psuedoephedrin BY ITSELF" is a red pill - whether brand name or generic - which I see divers taking;

Whereas, a psuedoephedrin antihistamine combo is a white pill - which I take frequently WHEN I'M NOT DIVING;

However, now that I'm on Nitrox, I take the antihistamine only, and it looks just like the psuedoephedrin antihistamine combination;

Therefore, I am careful to keep to keep the pills in the blister packs they come in, using from the end that doesn't mess up the printed contents, so I'll know for sure which is which. (I've seen divers take psuedoephedrin on Nitrox, but that's their problem; I just won't accept one as an assigned buddy.)

NOW, thanks to this thread, I have one more reason to keep these straight, with labels easily readable - and not carry more than a weeks needs!

Thanks again!!

 

[Charlie99]

The American Consul in Cozumel also e-mailed a link to the March 15th arrest that apparently started these concerns. It was a 23 year old spring breaker in Cancun. 24 pills.

http://www.islacozumel.net/sudafed.jpg

I'll be off real-world diving in SE FL and the Keys, so I won't post any further updates from US Embassy until Sept 5th.

 

[Cudabait]

DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) has one of its largest foriegn offices in the world located in the U.S. Embassy, Mexico City. They deal directly with the Mexican Federales. They would have first hand info about the status of Sudafed as a controlled substance in Mexico. I know they'll put you away for five years for one round of ammunition. Sudafed???

 

[diverlady]

Deepstops,

My understanding is this:

Consular is an adjective so it would be properly used with a noun following it such as "consular office" but not by itself.

Consulate is a noun referring to the building used by the consul.

A country's consulates are located in cities other than the capital city which is where the embassy is located.

For instance, the US Embassy is located in Ottawa, Ontario as it is the capital of Canada. However, if you needed to see a representative of the US government while in Canada, you could go to the US Consular office (consulate) in say, Toronto or any number of other cities in the country as there are US Consulates spread throughout.

I hope this explanation is satisfactory.

Diverlady

 

[Charlie99]

From: Lewandowski, John
Sent: Friday, September 05, 2003 3:04 PM
To: 'Mexico City, CCS'
Subject: RE: Psuedoephedrin / SudaFed

Hi Charlie,

This is John Lewandowski from the US Consulate in Merida, again.
After a little more research, I would like to amend the information I sent to you earlier. Apparently, psuedophedrin is, indeed, a controlled substance in Mexico.

Products containing pure, or near-pure, pseudophedrin such as Sudafed cannot be purchased in Mexico without a prescription.

However, it is possible to buy products that contain pseudophedrin as just one component in the overall formula. For example, products like Actifed which clearly contain pseudophedrin are sold over-the-counter in Mexico.
[The reasoning for this distinction may be that only pure pseudophedrin is useful to those involved in the production of other illegal drugs such as crystal meth.]

That said, my new advice to you and other scuba divers visiting Mexico is to leave the Sudafed, and other products with high concentrations of pseudophedrin, at home. If necessary, use the combined-formula products such as Actifed.

Take care.
-John