Weight Debate

Prescription Drugs

CONSUMER ALERT
by the
U.S. Department of Justice
Drug Enforcement Administration
Office of Diversion Control

READ THIS BEFORE PURCHASING PRESCRIPTION DRUGS OVER THE INTERNET !!!
DEA Warning – Buying drugs online may be illegal and dangerous!

Federal law prohibits buying controlled substances such as

• narcotic pain relievers (for example – OxyContin ®, Vicodin ®),
• sedatives (for example – Valium ®, Xanax ®, Ambien ®),
• stimulants (for example – phentermine, phendimetrazine, Adderall ®, Ritalin ®), and
• anabolic steroids (for example – 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 United States and ship to a non-DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) registrant.

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.

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)

Source: www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/consumer_alert.htm