Travelers to Shanghai Face Strict Medication Import Regulations
Travelers entering Shanghai, China, must adhere to stringent regulations regarding the import of personal medications. Chinese law categorizes certain common Western drugs, such as ADHD stimulants (e.g., Adderall, Ritalin), opioids (including codeine), and all cannabis-derived products (like CBD oil), as either banned or restricted. For instance, amphetamine and methylphenidate classes are not importable under any personal-use exception, and foreign prescriptions do not alter this status. Codeine, often found in over-the-counter medicines in Western countries, is a controlled substance in China. Pseudoephedrine, a common decongestant, is also controlled due to its use as a methamphetamine precursor. Benzodiazepines (e.g., Xanax, Valium) are restricted and require specific documentation for small quantities. Conversely, many common medications like insulin, asthma inhalers, EpiPens, blood pressure tablets, and SSRIs are generally permitted for personal use in reasonable quantities, provided they are in orig...
