Went to Mexico today.

[Dawgboy]

Thought about putting on OT, but it was an experience...

A good friend recently lost her job with a "Major" airline and of course, lost her insurance. Thing is she needs meds to live. So we decided that she, My honey, and I would head down to TiJuana, BC Mexico and walk across the border. I do go to Mexico at least once a year, but always drive, so this was an experience I have not had in at least 10 years.

Drove to the border and parked and walked on in. There is a pretty massive construction project on the US side in San Ysidro to rebuild the secondary inspection area of what is one of the busiest border crossings in the world.

We braved the taxi stands at the entrance to Mexico, so thick you can't walk through, and walked across the Tijuana river, which had at least 30 people sitting in the bottom of this sewer waiting for dark to cross La Frontera. All along this route there were plenty of Mexican LEOs and I felt very safe. I was sad to see that fully 80% of the formerly busy tourist shops and food places were boarded up. Sad to see how bad the economy and drug war have damaged a formerly vibrant market.

Once we hit Revolution Ave. we headed to a recommended Pharmacy and Legs(Friend) got 6 Ventolin inhalers for $30.00, and 2 Advair for $70.00. I pay $25.00 for 1 Ventolin with Insurance. My girl got a tube of 2.5% hydro cortisone for $9.00. I thought I would do a little research and I priced Zpacs at $9.00, and 30 Cipro's at $22.00. They had anything you want, and all you have to do to legally bring it back to the US is go around the corner and pay $5.00 for a prescription.

We then made a beeline for the Famous and ancient Caesar's Hotel for a nice late lunch and an outstanding drink in the place where the Caesar salad was actually invented. Food was "Le Awesome"... I mean 4 star Michelin guide good, we were the only people in there not in dress clothes.

While there some people were talking and that's when we figured out they were having a big Presidential election Rally the next street over so after our repast, we walked on over to see if we could get a look at the first woman to ever run for President of Mexico, but no dice. It was a sea of people in matching clothing waving flags and banners and yelling and banging drums. A real PARTY!

After that we slowly drifted back to the border, buying a few trinkets for the kids and just meandering. Went back to the US side, crossed in less than 5 minutes. A truly pleasant experience! I'm going back to get some stuff for my med kit...

A Caesar salad


My Honey and her Salmon A Maneure (It's french)


Hanging on the Main drag

[Blast]

Cool! I heard you can buy just about anything at a Mexican pharmacy but I always wondered what's involved in getting it back across the border. Is it that easy if you are flying back to the US?
-Blast

[Visionz]

Wish I was close to Mexico. Great story.

[silversnake]

Maybe my bias is showing, but I'd be a bit hesitant about buying medication from a cash and carry pharmacy in TiJuana. Of course, I guess it's not really any different than swinging across the Canadian border and doing the same as far as your chance of getting some knock-off packaging full of cat laxatives.

My peeing on the parade aside, glad you were able to help your friend get the meds she needs to live and had a fun experience in the process.

[duodecima]

Maybe my bias is showing, but I'd be a bit hesitant about buying medication from a cash and carry pharmacy in TiJuana. Of course, I guess it's not really any different than swinging across the Canadian border and doing the same as far as your chance of getting some knock-off packaging full of cat laxatives.

My peeing on the parade aside, glad you were able to help your friend get the meds she needs to live and had a fun experience in the process.

Actually, I've had patients bring in meds (that I prescribed) that they'd got in Mexico, and the imprints on the pills matched the medication as far as I could tell - if they were counterfeit, they were good counterfeit, and they seemed to work (ie, nobody's blood pressure went out of control.) I have absolute confidence in Canadian meds - but I don't worry excessively about Mexican meds bought in Mexico either. (Internet mail-order where you don't need a script from your own doc would actually worry me more in most cases.)

[Blacksmith]

I hear it is becoming a failed state since 2009.

At least there is a thread in DICE that old.

[Dawgboy]

That failed state thread is exactly why I posted it. IMO, no more so than our own... I saw all the signs of a strong government, a working populace, and a functioning political system. What's more, there were less beggars on the street then I had ever seen before. I have done this trip hundreds of times in my life.

As too the Meds, Leg's Proventil was made in the same factory in Puerto Rico as the one I bought two months ago, and the expiration date is two years out. We did pick a pharmacy recommended by a friend that does this. Everything I saw was in a sealed package too.

[BullOnParade]

Maybe my bias is showing, but I'd be a bit hesitant about buying medication from a cash and carry pharmacy in TiJuana. Of course, I guess it's not really any different than swinging across the Canadian border and doing the same as far as your chance of getting some knock-off packaging full of cat laxatives.

My peeing on the parade aside, glad you were able to help your friend get the meds she needs to live and had a fun experience in the process.

Really? You worry about drugs from the Canadian border? The only problem I could see you having on our side is trying to fill a prescription for a drug that isn't approved here but is for you guys. Counterfeits should only be a concern if you're purchasing these products from an unlicensed source which doesn't require a prescription to be filled.

On topic, Mexico seems like a blast, I'd love to go someday, unfortunately as of late, it doesn't seem to be too welcoming to us Canucs. Thanks for sharing your experience.

[Blacksmith]

I noted my skepticism about the failed state thing in the thread. I am not buying it. Mexico has problems but they are doing better than they were ten years ago.

I think the "counterfeit drug" idea was invented by irate drug company owners of the factory in PR. How dare Americans drive across the border and save thousands of dollars. I know literally a dozen people who buy legal drugs on the other side of the border and drive back with them (mostly elder people caught in the worm hole).

[duodecima]

I noted my skepticism about the failed state thing in the thread. I am not buying it. Mexico has problems but they are doing better than they were ten years ago.

I think the "counterfeit drug" idea was invented by irate drug company owners of the factory in PR. How dare Americans drive across the border and save thousands of dollars. I know literally a dozen people who buy legal drugs on the other side of the border and drive back with them (mostly elder people caught in the worm hole).

Nah, it happens from time to time, usually(but NOT exclusively) on hi dollar value pills that are for weight loss, sexual function, or drugs of abuse. The one big exception was a cancer med which is still a hi dollar item. But the likelihood of fake asthma or bp meds is actually pretty low, the profit margin just isn't as big.

http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/ResourcesForYou/Consumers/BuyingUsingMedicineSafely/CounterfeitMedicine/default.htm

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs275/en/

[Kommander]

Two things. First I would be careful about buying medicine from Mexico. Not saying not to do it, just exercise a bit of caution, which given that you post here you may well already be doing. Second the violence in Mexico tends to be localized and kept away from the tourist sections. Having half a dozen Americans gunned down serves the purposes of neither the cartels or the government.

[Dawgboy]

I noted my skepticism about the failed state thing in the thread. I am not buying it. Mexico has problems but they are doing better than they were ten years ago.

I think the "counterfeit drug" idea was invented by irate drug company owners of the factory in PR. How dare Americans drive across the border and save thousands of dollars. I know literally a dozen people who buy legal drugs on the other side of the border and drive back with them (mostly elder people caught in the worm hole).

+1 Blacksmith.

TJ had a very violent last 3 or 4 years with a major turf battle between 3 cartels. Sinaloa Cartel apparently won last year when the last brother of the Arrelano Felix Cartel got caught by the Mexicans and handed over to US Marshals. The head guy got picked up off a fishing boat in the Sea of Cortez by the US Navy. Bet that was some good times, getting pulled over by a Destroyer... The shooting has effectively stopped.

I would not go hang in Guerrero or Veracruz these days though...

[silversnake]

I think the "counterfeit drug" idea was invented by irate drug company owners of the factory in PR. How dare Americans drive across the border and save thousands of dollars. I know literally a dozen people who buy legal drugs on the other side of the border and drive back with them (mostly elder people caught in the worm hole).

I guess it's more the "no prescription needed" internet Viagra that's a big concern and my bias of "I bought it in America, so I can trust it" pushing through a bit. Hell, I know several folks who make the run to the Canadian border for meds regularly. Though, duodecima's links are cause to pause and think carefully even though 99.9999% of it really is the same stuff coming out of the same factory. As mentioned, there's little profit margin in faking a generic blood pressure med when you can make so much more faking Cialis.

[mariposa]

My late grandparents used to go to Mexico for meds. They bought prescription medications for things like diabetes, heart problems and asthma without a problem. They did this for at least a decade. If I were closer to Mexico, I'd gladly pay $30 for 6 inhalers, instead of my $45 deductible for Ventolin (I normally get the generic for $15). The 70 for 2 Advair is also much nicer than the $52 deductible I currently pay for one.

[29dayslater]

Wow your freaking crazy to go to Mexico right now. If the wrong people find out you were American you would be screwed. And no I am not being over reactive. I know many people who have had issues going into mexico including, kidnapping, rape, murder bribery, etc. Also you should feel safe because of Mexican LEOS they are extremely corrupt. Consider your self lucky.

[Lord Lav]

Great story. Luckily we have National Health Service in the UK so insurance isn't as necessary.

[crypto]

Tell me more about how you smuggled drugs over the border from mexico

[Rugger]

Tell me more about how you smuggled drugs over the border from mexico

It's actually not a big deal, as long as it isn't a narcotic of some type. When my parents used to go across, you just declare them at the Customs drive through booth and you're good.

Customs - "Do you have anything to declare?"
You - "Yes, two bottles of antibiotics, a carton of smokes, and a bottle of liquor."
Customs - "Ok, thanks."

There is a limit on the liquor and smokes though. It's one bottle per person that's of legal age. And one carton of smokes per person of age. I don't know if there is some kind of limit on scripts, but I'm sure there is, we just haven't hit it.

[ZombieGranny]

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q= ... p0aIlw2qEQ
# You must declare the drugs at Customs upon your return. Customs permits people to bring back reasonable amounts of medications for personal use, but does not allow stockpiling or purchasing large amounts of drugs for what will be assumed is a commercial or resale purpose. If the medication is a controlled substance, a reasonable amount means up to 50 combined total doses.
# If you do bring a prescription drug that is a controlled substance into the U.S. from Mexico, it must be for legitimate personal medical use. It should be in the original container, which must identify the substance and the name and address of the dispenser.
-
http://tijuana.usconsulate.gov/tijuana/ ... exico.html
To bring the medications into the United States, travelers will need to show a valid U.S. prescription to the inspector at the Port of Entry. The U.S. prescription is in addition to the Mexican prescription used to purchase the medications in Mexico. For more information on bringing medications into the United States, purchasers may refer to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection website: http://www.cbp.gov.

[Vicarious_Lee]

I can vouch for Mexican meds bought at a Farmacia. Pharmacists have prescribing authority, and most medications are unregulated. In fact, we all used to think that the next great bacterial plague was gonna come out of Mexico due to rampant and unrestricted antibiotic use, but it's coming from our ICUs and other first-world countries.

Farmacias are licensed business, and subject to regulation (how much, I have no idea). The meds all have similar stamping and packaging to what you'd find in the US. I've not seen any fake or useless meds come out of Mexico. In fact, what I've sometimes seen is a dangerous reaction or side-effect from a med that shouldn't have been used.

[duodecima]

http://tijuana.usconsulate.gov/tijuana/buying_prescription_medications_in_mexico.html
To bring the medications into the United States, travelers will need to show a valid U.S. prescription to the inspector at the Port of Entry. The U.S. prescription is in addition to the Mexican prescription used to purchase the medications in Mexico. For more information on bringing medications into the United States, purchasers may refer to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection website: http://www.cbp.gov.

Yep, my snowbirds who went to Texas and Arizona would ask me for scripts before they left so they could get there meds in Mexico. Again, I checked pill imprints for a couple of people but never found or heard of problems. (These weren't controlled substances, these were blood pressure, cholesterol, asthma, & stomach meds, for the most part.)

[Dawgboy]

Wow your freaking crazy to go to Mexico right now. If the wrong people find out you were American you would be screwed. And no I am not being over reactive. I know many people who have had issues going into mexico including, kidnapping, rape, murder bribery, etc. Also you should feel safe because of Mexican LEOS they are extremely corrupt. Consider your self lucky.

While I am "Freaking crazy", It's not because I regularly travel In Mexico. It's safer than LA, Detroit, Atlanta... Statistically... While these things do happen in Mexico, in the third largest city in Mexico, unless you are a reporter, cop or druglord, you are much more likely to get hit by a bus than be kidnapped raped or murdered. Also they have cracked down heavily on the cop bribe thing and have been down the road there. The way it works when you get pulled over is that they will take you to the Magistrate at the police station and you can pay your fine right there. last time I paid a fine (illegal right turn, if the light is red you cannot turn right in Mex.), it was around 7 bucks...

Also, Mexican Scripts are just fine coming back across the border, all you have to say is "I lost my insurance so I see an MD in Mexico".

Read this article if you want about how well this method is working for US citizens. Mexicali now has some vans and will pick you up in LA or Vegas, Take you to Mexicali, and bring you home for free. Plus, they have a Medical tourism line at the border that works as a fast pass...

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/28/health/mexicali-lures-american-tourists-with-medical-care.html?pagewanted=all

[Blacksmith]

Wow your freaking crazy to go to Mexico right now. If the wrong people find out you were American you would be screwed. And no I am not being over reactive. I know many people who have had issues going into mexico including, kidnapping, rape, murder bribery, etc. Also you should feel safe because of Mexican LEOS they are extremely corrupt. Consider your self lucky.

While I am "Freaking crazy", It's not because I regularly travel In Mexico. It's safer than LA, Detroit, Atlanta... Statistically... While these things do happen in Mexico, in the third largest city in Mexico, unless you are a reporter, cop or druglord, you are much more likely to get hit by a bus than be kidnapped raped or murdered. Also they have cracked down heavily on the cop bribe thing and have been down the road there. The way it works when you get pulled over is that they will take you to the Magistrate at the police station and you can pay your fine right there. last time I paid a fine (illegal right turn, if the light is red you cannot turn right in Mex.), it was around 7 bucks...

Also, Mexican Scripts are just fine coming back across the border, all you have to say is "I lost my insurance so I see an MD in Mexico".

Read this article if you want about how well this method is working for US citizens. Mexicali now has some vans and will pick you up in LA or Vegas, Take you to Mexicali, and bring you home for free. Plus, they have a Medical tourism line at the border that works as a fast pass...

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/28/health/mexicali-lures-american-tourists-with-medical-care.html?pagewanted=all

Crime in Mexico was last estimated to be unreported by around 90%. Bodies pop up all the time and no one was even reported missing.

Not so sure about the legality of lying to a federal law enforcement officer. That is what got Martha Stewart sent to the big house.

[crypto]

Also, Mexican Scripts are just fine coming back across the border, all you have to say is "I lost my insurance so I see an MD in Mexico".

You know, theres a whole lot of other places on the internet to discuss smuggling drugs over an international border. How about you don't use this one?