--On Thursday, July 27, 2017 08:19 -0500 Mary B
<mary.h.barnes@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> So, according to that webpage, if you have prescription
> medicines, you MUST go through the redline. And, does anyone
> know where to find the list of products that require
> prescriptions in Singapore per the following?
I've taken the precaution of doing that but, at least in my
experience, they tend to treat your being willing to disclose
and having a pile of documentation as a sign of good intent and
weave one through so that the different in time to get through
the red versus green lines is trivial -- they are both fairly
efficient and laid back, especially when compared to the USA.
Of course, there is no counting on that for any given day or
person.
>...
> It seems I'll need a rather long visit with my doctor before
> traveling to get prescriptions from my doc for all of my
> supplements, as well. Although, I guess my best bet is to just
> buy what I can when I get there - it looks like they have a
> lot of supplement stores, including a GNC. I've never been
> stopped, but I can't imagine what they'd think of my little
> containers of white amino acid powders.
That is more or less what I've done, trying to confine what I
carry with me to the absolute minimum of prescription materials.
I haven't looked at the Singapore rules in years (and these
things do change), but I note that many formulations of, e.g.,
OTC decongestants and cough syrups in the US contain enough
quantity of members of the epinephrine family to be considered
powerful drugs in some countries, powerful enough to require not
only prescriptions but signatures of at least three physicians
(I'm exaggerating, but it has felt like that when I innocently
tried obtain an additional supply. Of course, the same problem
applies in the other direction with things being OTC in some
places but requiring prescriptions in the US. I'm a bit
surprised you haven't encountered the situation before.
> Do they xray your luggage when you enter the country?
Every country has the right to do that. Some do so, some do
selectively, some usually don't, etc. None of them are likely
to give you an easily-interpreted and unambiguous answer about
either xrays or opening and hand-searching. I've found it most
efficient to just assume "yes" and decide what to pack, how to
pack it, and which line to go through on that basis.
I've been through customs and immigration in Singapore multiple
times, although not nearly as many or as often as Ole. In
general, I've found them not much different from most other
places. I have found two exceptions striking: They are
extremely professional and courteous, at least as long as one
treats them and their need to do their jobs with respect. I've
never encountered someone who was having a bad day, felt it was
ok to take that out on travelers, and who I suspect was going to
have a similar bad day every day that month. The other
exception is that they are really, really, serious about their
banned substances rules, including their anti-drug policy. If
someone shows up with, e.g., opioid pain medication and without
extensive and convincing documentation, one is likely to be in
for some rather intense interviews and questioning, The Rx
should specify what dosages you are expected to take and I
recommend not showing with a pill more than is needed for the
duration of the stay. But that is really not an unreasonable
approach anywhere.
john