24/01/2026
**“The medicine is yours, but the law is theirs!”
A wake-up call for Indian patients traveling abroad.**
*Dr. Manthan Sheth*
Health Times, Darpan, Gujarat Mitra, 14/01/2026
Last week, a piece of news kept echoing in my mind. An ordinary Indian citizen suffering from severe back pain traveled abroad carrying **Tramadol**, a medicine prescribed by his doctor in India. At the airport, he was stopped. Questioned. Investigated. And within minutes, he went from being a “patient” to an “accused.” Today, that person is in jail.
He had no intention of smuggling.
He was not selling drugs.
He was merely carrying medicine to relieve his pain.
But in that country, **Tramadol is classified as a narcotic drug**.
This raises a critically important question:
Do we really know that a medicine which is a “treatment” for us can become a **crime** in another country?
Countries change, laws change. Medicines do not.
In India, we treat medicines very casually. A doctor prescribes them, we buy them from a medical store, keep them at home, and even carry them while traveling. The problem begins when we assume that **India’s legal perspective applies across the world**. In reality, India’s drug control laws are one thing; those of the UAE, Japan, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Indonesia—every country—are different.
A medicine that is a **Schedule H** or a **prescription drug** in India may be considered a **narcotic** or **psychotropic substance** elsewhere. The law does not look at the medicine—it looks at the **risk**.
There are many such medicines, but **Tramadol** is an excellent example. Millions of patients in India use it. However, in the UAE, Egypt, Indonesia, and Saudi Arabia, it is an **opioid narcotic**. Mere possession can lead to imprisonment. In the recent case, the person had only 10–15 tablets. There was no commercial intent. Yet for the law, **the mere presence of the drug was enough**.
The argument “My doctor prescribed it, I have a prescription” does not work abroad. Many people believe, “If I have a prescription, there won’t be any problem.” But in many countries, even with a prescription, the medicine may still be illegal. Why? Because those countries view such medicines in terms of **drug abuse, illegal trade risks, smuggling, public safety threats, and intoxication**. The law does not see you as a patient—it sees you as a **possessor of a controlled substance**.
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# # # 🔴 Which medicines most commonly trap Indian travelers?
**Yes—this is a red alert. Check these medicines carefully before traveling abroad.**
Indian travelers most often face trouble due to certain medicines that are commonly used in India but are considered **narcotic, controlled, or illegal** in many countries.
* **Tramadol**: A common painkiller in India, but classified as a narcotic drug in many countries. Mere possession can lead to jail.
* **Codeine-based cough syrups**: Widely consumed in India, but registered as opioid drugs in many countries and strictly controlled as addictive substances.
* **Alprazolam**: Used for anxiety and sleep; considered a psychotropic drug in many countries, and bringing it without government permission can be a crime.
* **Diazepam**: Prescribed for sleep and muscle relaxation; classified as a controlled drug in many places, requiring special permission.
* **Zolpidem**: Very commonly used in India for insomnia, but in some countries it is outright **banned**.
* **Pregabalin**: Used for nerve pain and diabetic neuropathy; restricted in many countries and illegal without specific limits and permissions.
* In addition, some **ADHD medications** that are legal in India with a doctor’s prescription are completely **illegal** in several countries.
And sadly, many of these medicines are commonly found in our homes. These are just a few examples—not a complete list.
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# # # ✈️ What happens at the airport?
Your baggage is scanned. If a medicine is found and its name appears on the narcotics list, you are taken aside. Questioning follows. Then investigation. Detention. And after that, a legal case begins.
You may explain:
“I was in pain.”
“Please speak to my doctor—it’s his prescription.”
But the law has only one question:
**“Is this medicine legal in our country?”**
If the answer is “No,” everything else becomes irrelevant.
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# # # 🩺 Why am I writing this as a doctor?
Every day in my clinic, I meet many patients. I listen to their worries, dilemmas, stories, and struggles. Many say:
“Doctor, we’re going to Dubai to visit our daughter,” or
“We’re going to the US to stay with our son for a few months.”
And along with that, they ask me to prescribe sleeping pills, nerve medicines, painkillers—to carry with them. But not once does anyone ask:
**“Is this medicine legal there?”**
This ignorance is the biggest danger. In just five minutes, you can protect yourself.
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# # # ✅ Five steps to follow before traveling abroad:
1️⃣ **Google it.**
For example:
“Is Tramadol legal in UAE?”
Do this for every medicine and every country.
2️⃣ **Check the embassy website.**
Look for the **“Prohibited medicines list.”**
3️⃣ **If in doubt, change the medicine.**
Ask your doctor for a safer alternative.
4️⃣ **Carry a doctor’s letter/prescription**
in English, mentioning the **generic name**.
5️⃣ **Keep medicines in original packaging.**
Loose tablets or strips look the most suspicious.
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# # # 📌 Remember:
Medicine saves the body—but in the wrong country, the same medicine can take away your freedom. Foreign travel is not just about tickets and visas; it is also about understanding the law.
If you or any family member is traveling abroad, please make them read this article. A small piece of information can save a lifetime of trouble.
Because **the medicine is yours, but the law is theirs.**
