I periodically suffer from depression and anxiety. The last time I was depressed I was living in Canada. My doctor prescribed me Prozac, which I took for a few months, but had about a month’s supply left over that I did not use. That was about a year ago.
I am now living in the US and am currently feeling depressed and anxious again. I asked my brother in law to mail me that old bottle of medications, which has my name on it. I don’t have access to a doctor in the US (no health or drug plan). He sent it from Canada.
It just occurred to me that this illegal on a number of levels (mailing drugs internationally, even if the prescription is written to my name) , and taking drugs while I’m not currently under a doctor’s care (even if I was legally prescribed them before).
But I am freaking out. How much trouble am I in? Will I wake up to cops knocking on my door and arresting me? Will my Brother in law get in trouble in Canada? Or will they just return the package to him saying it can’t be sent?
Please help. I am having severe anxiety about this (ironically I was trying to avoid anxiety by planning to take the meds).
Technically, this was illegal, but since Prozac is not a controlled substance, it’s unlikely that either of you will get in trouble even if the package is confiscated.
And see a doctor. Many illnesses can present with depression as a symptom. If you don’t have insurance or money to pay for it yourself, see if there’s a sliding-scale or free clinic in your area.
My WAG is that it’ll be fine. Yes, they do check parcels, but it can be pretty cursory (or simply random in some countries). The vast volumes of mail coming into the US daily would mean they will likely let it slide, even if they do check it. Especially something from Canada. If it was mailed from Myanmar or Afghanistan, it might be different. But a bottle of Canadian pills showing up on an X-ray machine? They have bigger fish to fry. Doubt it’d be worth their time.