Help with drugs

[fakename]

Hi,

I'm a regular poster on the UK boards, I've just registered as a new user to post this as I'd really not be associated with this post.

I really wish I didn't have to think about this but I do. If you were travelling to Florida with someone and there was the tiniest (like 0.000001%) chance that they would even think about taking soft drugs with them, would you confront them about it in advance? My partner says that he's 99.9& sure they wouldn't and I'm the same, but this voice in my head keeps niggling at me about the consequences if they did take them and they were found. It would affect us as well and ruin the holiday - as well as jeopardising us being able to travel to the States again.

If this person was a friend then I'd talk to them but they are a family member and that makes it very awkward. I really don't want to have this conversation but I think I may have to.

What would you do?

 

[jjpenguin]

That's a tough call, maybe you could package it in a "general rules" type of thing.

what to take, what to do, things that might happen etc. Just like KiltedYank made his post on how to behave with the cops.

 

[minniemick]

I would remind them that as you are coming through immigration the dogs come round all bags and you, so if they even had a small amount of drugs they would be found, they even know if you have food in your bag.

 

[patdavies]

NO NO NO NO NO

If caught - and the sniffer dogs are very efficent, and you don't know what any particular dog is trained to find - this will lead to immediate arrest and deportation. Travel to the USA will not be possible in the future as VWP will not apply and a visa will be extremely difficult.

Also, bear in mind that if this person is a family member, then you will all be on the same customs declaration - so there is bound to be 'overspill' onto you.

 

[Queenie]

You're not always on the same customs declaration if you're family. Those are done by household (if it's the same as last year) so if you live apart then you would be on a different customs form. I'm going with mum in Sept and we'll be on different forms as I don't live with her.

Still, tough call, I wouldn't fancy confronting my mum about something like this.

 

[jen_uk]

If you don't feel comfortable saying something then I would make sure you use different customs forms to them and go through customs with just your dh and children.

 

[Minniespal]

If you don't fancy never being able to travel to the USA again and a jail sentence, if caught. I would certainly say something.

 

[wilma-bride]

Not sure I would be going anywhere with someone who might have drugs on them but maybe that's just me

Yes, I would confront them and make it clear that they must NOT take drugs into the USA.

 

[catherine]

There is no way that I would travel to the US with someone if I thought that there was the smallest chance that they might be carrying illegal drugs. The US authorities do not mess around and having had a couple of grilling from the immigration people I would not fancy taking my chances!

 

[Lindy Loo]

some great advice, amd here is are my thoughts, BIL is a customs officer in UK
ALL documentation should be seperate, so you are not fully linked, Ie If it was say your SIL you have concerns over, do not have her info on the customs forms. WHEN she gets caught ( I dont beleive it will even be an IF she gets caught, US are VERY VERY hot on this) they will search the whole party, she is with, incase others are carrying for her. The searches are intermaite ( sp?) and not pleasant , if you catch my drift!
She will be detained and deported and it will be very hard for her to travel to US again.

Personally I would cover this subject as a general topic at a planning meeting for the holiday. You could even say you read info on this board about what will happen. Making it very clear !

BIL use to tell us info like girls would put it in a tampax box, cos they think men wont look there??? etc.

Good luck with what ever you decide to do.

 

[princess jackson]

If i had any inclanation a family member or any member of the party was thinking about taking drugs, i would tell them.

Just think about the money you have spent on the holiday, there is no way i would let anyone jepodise my holiday or the money i would lose by being sent back home.

I work hard to go on holiday who gives them the right to spoil it.

And think about it when you get back what are you going to say to friends and collegues, and what happens if the authorites are waiting for you's to. Just think it could be a record and black mark for returning to the USA.

 

[paulh]

tell them if they realy want them that bad get them over there
Paulh

 

[alisonbestford]

DH takes 'medicinal' medication , at the ok of his GP/ MacMillan nurse, but no way would he risk taking anything into the US

Even in the event of pain relief, it wouldn't be worth the risk.....

Whisky etc is pretty few dollars for a massive amount of whisky ...

 

[Lisash]

Maybe rather than having the direct conversation with them you could casually mention how good the sniffer dogs they have at the airport. One time we were next to a family in immigration who got picked out by a dog. They were quite puzzled as they hadn't had any food in their bags all day but the dog handler explained the dogs are so good they can pick up on traces of scent from a couple of days before. It turned out the bag the dog had picked was a childs school bag usually used to their carry packed lunch and it was that the dog had picked up on. If they can pick up on food remnants drugs would be a doddle.

 

[WDWfan uk]

I think I would talk to them about this - I appreciate how awkward this might be, but if you approach it carefully and gently, pointing out that you are concerned about the consequences if they do carry drugs, then you aren't going to have this nagging fear in your mind, and you will be doing them a favour.

Maybe you wouldn't get in trouble - although I suspect the authorities would want to question you all as a party travelling together - but you would all be affected if you had a family member arrested - the holiday would centre on this person rather than on WDW.

It is a complete and utter no-no for this person to try taking this abroad - I really think you need to have a talk with them.

 

[wils]

What a nightmare!

I think that if you weigh up the awkwardness of mentioning it against what would happen if they were caught carrying some drugs then there is your answer.

Good luck though it a toughie

 

[carolfoy]

I'd just mention it jokingly a few times that the sniffer dogs are always around sometimes even behind the scenes.

 

[tony64]

This is proberley a very stupid question but you have got me thinking now.
My son has been prescribed a long course of steriods as he is suffering from Collitis.
should we present his vast assortment of prescribed drugs at customs or just show them if we get pulled out

 

[alisonbestford]

Just show them if you're asked

Carry a doctors' letter or repeat prescription with you.

We take a small vanity case for DH's drugs (he takes 18 a day!) and have never been asked anything

 

[tony64]

Thanks Alison