DEA
Warning--Buying drugs online may be illegal and
dangerous!
Federal law prohibits
buying controlled substances such as narcotic pain relievers (e.g., OxyContin®, Vicodin ®), sedatives
(e.g., Valium®, Xanax®, Ambien®), stimulants (e.g., phentermine, phendimetrazine,
Adderall®, Ritalin®) and anabolic steroids (e.g.,
Winstrol®, Equipoise®) without a valid prescription
from your doctor. This means there must be a real doctor-patient relationship,
which by most state laws requires a physical examination. Prescriptions written
by "cyber doctors" relying on online questionnaires are not legitimate under the
law.
Buying controlled
substances online without a valid prescription may be punishable by imprisonment
under Federal law. Often drugs ordered from rogue websites come from foreign
countries. It is a felony to import drugs into the
Buying drugs online
may not be only illegal, but dangerous. The American Medical Association and
state boards of medicine and pharmacy have all condemned the practice of cyber
doctors issuing online prescriptions as unacceptable medical care. Drugs
delivered by rogue websites may be the wrong drugs, adulterated or expired, the
wrong dosage strength, or have no dosage directions or
warnings.
DEA is targeting rogue
online pharmacies for prosecution and shutting down these illegal websites. See
the results of one such investigation, Operation Cyber Chase, at
www.usdoj.gov/dea/pubs/pressrel/pr042005.html
How to spot a rogue
pharmacy: www.DEAdiversion.usdoj.gov/faq/internetpurch.htm
To report illegal
prescription drug sales and/or rogue pharmacies operating on the Internet call
the anonymous Pharmaceutical Drug
Abuse Hotline: 1-877-RxAbuse
(1-877-792-2873)