If you have a trip planned that will stop in or take you to Doha, Qatar you may be wondering what their restrictions are on bringing medicines, like Valium, into the country.
So, can you take Valium into Doha? Yes, you can take Valium into Doha, as long as it’s prescribed to you and you have all the proper paperwork for it. Do not bring more than a one month supply of the Valium and make sure your prescription is dated within 6 months prior to your trip.
The last thing you want to do is end up in jail because of some law or obscure rule that you didn’t know or understand. Other sites online aren’t too helpful, oftentimes providing contradictory information, so we’ve done the work in hunting down the correct answer and all the information you will need to know beforehand.
One thing you may have figured out is that Qatar is very strict when it comes to bringing things into their country. They regularly check luggage and have procedures in place for pretty much every item and scenario they may come across. Now that it has been established that you can bring Valium, also known as Diazepam, into Doha, let’s explore what exactly is involved in doing so.
Procedure For Bringing Valium And Other Medications Into Doha
First you will need to ensure that you pack the prescription (ask your pharmacist for a copy), the original prescription bottle with the label that contains all your information (name, date of birth, etc.) and the drug information (medicine’s scientific name, dosage, etc.), as well as all literature and instructions that came with it. The number one most important thing about taking Valium into Doha is that you need to do it legally.
The Qatari government has very strict policies and procedures that a traveler wanting to bring any prescribed medication into the country must abide by in order to avoid punishment. The main reason that the country imposes rules and regulations about bringing medication into their country, which even includes medications that are over-the-counter in your home country, is to prevent it from getting into the wrong hands and it having a negative impact on their humble society.
One general rule of thumb to follow would be to not bring more than a one month supply of the Valium. If a customs officer decides to check your Valium supply and determines that you have brought more than what you should have, it may look like you intend to traffic and sell the medication.
Even if that’s not the case, it can lead to imprisonment, fines, and deportation. In several more severe cases the death penalty has been given to drug traffickers. Obviously that’s not a great way to spend your holiday.
If anything, should you be there more than a month, you may be able to get another prescription from a doctor there. Some healthcare providers have access to 2 mg and 5 mg tablets of Diazepam, so if you need to re-up on your prescription there, it shouldn’t be too difficult to find Valium in Doha.
Other Factors To Consider
You will not only need to bring your prescription, and everything that comes with it, but you will also have to pay close attention to the dates of the prescription and the medication. Do not bring expired Valium or medication into Qatar.
Your prescription needs to be dated no more than 6 months prior to your trip. If there’s any issue they will refer to your paperwork, so just make sure to have everything in order before you head out on your vacation. You may also want to secure a certified letter from your doctor indicating your need for the Valium with your personal information, dosage requirements, health issues that require the medication, and any other pertinent information you can think of.
If you’re still unsure, or want to get a second opinion, you may also contact the airport’s customs department. It may take a while to get the right party on the line, but once you do you should be able to explain your exact situation to them and get a clear answer as to what you can and cannot do. This should help to ease much of the stress you may have regarding this topic.
You may think that you can just risk it and hope for the best, but if you do not have a valid prescription for your Valium, or can’t get one before your trip, just leave it. While it’s not guaranteed that your luggage will be thoroughly checked at every point, it will at very least be scanned, and it’s really not worth risking jail time in a foreign country.
