# Share any experience with buying quinine in Mexico **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 24, 2011, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-any-experience-with-buying-quinine-in-mexico/583023 "2011-05-24T16:10:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![janeslogin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@janeslogin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/janeslogin)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2011, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-any-experience-with-buying-quinine-in-mexico/583023/1 "2011-05-24T16:10:33Z")
My spouse and her doctors think that quinine is the best treatment to prevent cramp. She, and her doctors think the US law is silly and that the persons defending the US law are silly. I have nothing better to do than go to Mexico to buy quinine if I can carry it back. Do you know what is involved? Is it even possible? Do you have reason to believe I could to it? ---
**Author:** ![hellpaso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ecae2f/32.png) [@hellpaso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hellpaso)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2011, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-any-experience-with-buying-quinine-in-mexico/583023/2 "2011-05-24T18:09:35Z")
It used to be a simple process to walk over the border, purchase whatever at the farmacia, then walk back across with your antibiotics, etc. Then some crossings (and pharmacies) started requiring a prescription. Quinine is certainly not a drug of abuse or a big deal, so it shouldn’t be a problem. Personally, though, I have a problem with crossing to Mexico for any reason (a couple of miles away from me as I type). And for quinine? You gotta be kidding–you do know there’s a war going on over there, right? Buy her a bottle of tonic water on this side of the border.😉 ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2011, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-any-experience-with-buying-quinine-in-mexico/583023/3 "2011-05-24T20:01:39Z")
Ummmm…tonic water. Perfectly legal. I suffer from leg cramps and it really helps. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2011, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-any-experience-with-buying-quinine-in-mexico/583023/4 "2011-05-25T04:33:51Z")
Better yet, gin and tonic. Feel no pain. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2011, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-any-experience-with-buying-quinine-in-mexico/583023/5 "2011-05-25T12:52:35Z")
I make soda water at home, but love my gins & tonic, and so I’ve toyed with the idea of making my own tonic water. It seems that quinine is generally available in the Unite States for this purpose, and so I’m wondering why anyone would have to go to Mexico to acquire it? ---
**Author:** ![hellpaso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ecae2f/32.png) [@hellpaso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hellpaso)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2011, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-any-experience-with-buying-quinine-in-mexico/583023/6 "2011-05-25T15:00:10Z")
Balthisar–the FDA fairly recently banned the prescribing of quinine for leg cramps. It used to be available over the counter, then it was available by prescription only. Now you’re SOL if you need it. I think the amount of quinine in tonic water is pretty much below the therapeutic level, though. ---
**Author:** ![Brynda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@Brynda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brynda)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2011, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-any-experience-with-buying-quinine-in-mexico/583023/7 "2011-05-25T15:02:52Z")
Not to mention tonic water tastes awful. I miss my quinine. My leg cramps seem to have responded pretty well to magnesium oxide and calcium, though. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-any-experience-with-buying-quinine-in-mexico/583023/8 "2011-05-26T01:59:31Z")
> [@hellpaso](#): > > Balthisar–the FDA fairly recently banned the prescribing of quinine for leg cramps. It used to be available over the counter, then it was available by prescription only. Now you’re SOL if you need it Are you sure? I was looking for cramp bark (it’s good for menstrual cramps) and [this](http://www.puritan.com/leg-support-652/leg-cramps-with-quinine-086571?NewPage=1) came up instead. The company has been around for many years and as far as I know it’s based in the US, so… ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-any-experience-with-buying-quinine-in-mexico/583023/9 "2011-05-26T11:45:44Z")
It was mentioned in another thread that quinine is banned - and yet [these pills](http://www.amazon.com/Hylands-Leg-Cramps-Quinine-tablets/dp/B00013YZGQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1306410302&sr=8-1) claim to have it. ---
**Author:** ![hellpaso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ecae2f/32.png) [@hellpaso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hellpaso)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-any-experience-with-buying-quinine-in-mexico/583023/10 "2011-05-26T14:53:38Z")
It’s the quinine sulfate tablets that are banned–those other things are homeopathic supplements and most likely have less quinine than a tall glass of gin & tonic. But back to the OP–avoid Mexico if you can help it, especially for something so trivial. There are more alternatives available to treat leg cramps. If the doctors continue to insist, either have them go to Mexico & get some, or seek another opinion. ---
**Author:** ![janeslogin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@janeslogin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/janeslogin)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-any-experience-with-buying-quinine-in-mexico/583023/11 "2011-05-26T15:05:56Z")
> [@hellpaso](#): > > … There are more alternatives available to treat leg cramps. … The patient has a rare autoimmune and neither the patient or the doctors like the side affects of the alternatives. The doctors are at the Davis and the University of Utah. To get another opinion where would one go? ---
**Author:** ![hellpaso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ecae2f/32.png) [@hellpaso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hellpaso)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-any-experience-with-buying-quinine-in-mexico/583023/12 "2011-05-27T15:29:48Z")
We can’t dispense medical advice–I just would advise that you not go to Mexico, as it is dangerous in the border towns. Contact your physician for alternatives. ---
**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-any-experience-with-buying-quinine-in-mexico/583023/13 "2011-05-27T17:26:01Z")
[http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/vacation/kbyg/prohibited\_restricted.xml#Medication](http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/vacation/kbyg/prohibited_restricted.xml#Medication) > [@Customs](#): > > If a U.S. resident wants to bring in a controlled substance (other than narcotics such as marijuana, cocaine, heroin, or LSD) but does not have a prescription for the substance issued by a U.S.-licensed practitioner (e.g., physician, dentist, etc.) who is registered with, and authorized by, the Drug Enforcement Administration to prescribe the medication, the individual may not import more than 50 dosage units of the medication into the United States. > > \ > > Warning: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration prohibits the importation, by mail or in person, of fraudulent prescription and nonprescription drugs and medical devices. These include unorthodox “cures” for such medical conditions as cancer, AIDS, arthritis or multiple sclerosis. Although such drugs or devices may be legal elsewhere, if the FDA has not approved them for use in the United States, they may not legally enter the country and will be confiscated, even if they were obtained under a foreign physician’s prescription. So, Custom’s says it’s up to the FDA. I can’t find a hard list on the FDA website specifically about quinine purchased outside the U.S. I know you didn’t want to debate the justification of the U.S. ban. But please be aware that going to Mexico and buying it there to bring back may not be advisable. ---
**Author:** ![janeslogin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@janeslogin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/janeslogin)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-any-experience-with-buying-quinine-in-mexico/583023/14 "2011-05-27T19:18:31Z")
OK, the 50 dose limitation would make it not worth my time. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-any-experience-with-buying-quinine-in-mexico/583023/15 "2011-05-27T19:26:55Z")
> [@janeslogin](#): > > OK, the 50 dose limitation would make it not worth my time. Thanks. I hope everything works out.