Can you ship medicines through USPS? (all you must know)
For example, let’s say your aunt comes to visit, and when she leaves, you notice that she left her prescription on your bathroom counter. You want to give it back to her, but you’re just not sure…is this allowed by mail?
So, can you ship medicines through USPS, or do you have to find other ways to get your prescription medicines to your destination? Here’s what you need to know before you try it!
Can you ship medicines through USPS in 2022?
You cannot ship prescription drugs through USPS unless you are a DEA-approved drug manufacturer or another authorized dispenser in 2022. However, over-the-counter medications are permitted if properly packaged. Penalties for sending prescription drugs through USPS vary but can be severe if there is a criminal pattern or the amount is significant.
Let’s take a closer look at what you can and can’t send by mail, and what happens if you mail a prescription drug, even if the USPS X-ray package searches for the drug. continue reading!
Can you mail prescription drugs using USPS?
You cannot send prescription drugs through the U.S. Postal Service even if the recipient or sender is a valid prescription holder.
Currently, the only entities that allow prescription drug delivery by mail are DEA-approved drug manufacturers.
Currently, the definition includes a pharmacy, doctor or other authorized dispenser.
The reason behind this is the growing prevalence of drug abuse, especially opioids; at the same time, laws have become stricter about searching for mail.
Overall, two things that happened at the same time led to an increase in the use of USPS for further drug abuse.
Therefore, to prevent this from happening, all prescription drugs are not allowed to be delivered by ordinary people.
But there are some exceptions, such as:
- Product recall: The pharmacy sent the wrong drug or dose, or the drug was recalled in its entirety.
- DEA Mail Back Program: Designed to remove unused or unwanted drugs from the population, Mail Back takes potentially harmful prescription drugs off the streets.
In both cases, you will receive special materials to send your prescription drugs back in the mail.
Can you use USPS to ship over-the-counter drugs?
You can send over-the-counter (OTC) medications in the mail without any problems.
Currently, this involves everything from cold medicines to pain relievers like ibuprofen or Tylenol to allergy medicines.
When sending these types of materials by mail, it is best to use only your common sense of packaging.
For example, a bottle of something may require some bubble wrap, while the plastic container inside the product box should be throwable directly into another box or bubble mail.
What happens if you send your medication in the mail?
If you send medicines in the mail, especially prescription drugs, a few things can happen.
First: Let’s face it, nothing is going to happen. You can get away with it.
This is somewhat possible, given the financial situation of the Postal Service, which has been insolvent for over a decade.
USPS simply does not have the resources to inspect every package for signs of illegal substances being sent.
However, assuming you can’t get rid of it; it’s hard to say what the penalty will be, as it depends on a few different factors.
First, is this your first offense? Do you have a criminal history, with or without USPS?
Second, how much did you send? Is it just a half-used bottle of antibiotics, or did you send in enough Vicodin that it looks like you’re going to sell it?
Third, and last, what is the prescription drug you’re sending? As mentioned above, a half-filled bottle of antibiotics does not imply a gang, but ignorance.
But opioids, like the aforementioned Vicodin or Oxycontin, are very dangerous in the wrong hands.
So if you have a history of selling or facilitating the sale of drugs and you get caught trying to mail someone else a bunch of Oxy bottles…you’re in big trouble.
What if USPS finds a drug in a package?
While Class 1 letter and package mail are protected by the Fourth Amendment and cannot be opened without first showing a search warrant, there are no other classes of mail.
So if you try to send a box of prescription drugs through Priority Mail and someone hears them rattling in the bottle, USPS can open the package on the spot.
However, if you send a small bottle with First-Class Package, the postal service has to go through some hoops to open your package.
First, the USPS needs to have suspect evidence, and then they must use that evidence to obtain a search warrant.
First class packages cannot be legally opened and investigated without a search warrant.
But either way, if the USPS finds a prescription, they may actually start a sting operation.
That said, law enforcement would impersonate USPS to deliver packages because not only is it illegal to send drugs, but it is also illegal to receive them.
Are USPS packages X-rayed?
USPS packages do get X-rayed, although this happens more frequently in larger cities because the more packages that go in and out, the greater the chance for crime.
If you live in any of the major metropolitan areas in the U.S. and you’re considering sending your friends their prescription allergy medication through the Postal Service, we warn you not to.
This is something to be wary of because not only is it illegal, but doing it in bigger cities makes you more likely to get caught.
Also, don’t write “do not use X-rays” on the package as it will just make the box a target that will definitely be looked at more closely.
To learn more, you can also read our posts on USPS 3-Day Shipping, Fastest USPS Shipping Methods, and USPS Shipping to Thailand.
in conclusion
You cannot use USPS to ship prescription drugs unless you are a DEA authorized entity or agent. Doing so without authorization can result in jail time and fines.
However, over-the-counter medications like Tylenol or Pepto Bismol are fair as long as you pack items, especially liquids, in a safe and secure way.
