Bringing medication into Canada from China: prescriptions, herbal products and declarations

Prescription drugs: generally not allowed

Canadian residents generally cannot bring prescription drugs into Canada. There are two exceptions: drugs prescribed and dispensed in Canada, and treatment that had to be started abroad and is continuing after your return.^[1] Prescription drugs bought in China are, in principle, not allowed in.

Herbal products, supplements and vitamins

Personal-use quantities are allowed, up to a 90-day supply or one course of treatment, whichever is less. More than that may be treated as a commercial import.^[1] Keep the original packaging or pharmacy label where possible. Health Canada regularly recalls so-called herbal products found to contain undeclared prescription drug ingredients, so products of unknown origin carry more risk.^[1]

Products containing ephedra

Products containing ephedra are restricted in Canada; check Health Canada's guidance before bringing them.^[2]

Endangered-species ingredients

Some traditional medicines contain animal or plant ingredients protected under an international convention. Environment Canada's guidance groups them by level of control:^[4]

If a label lists these ingredients, treat the product as containing them. See Health Canada's guidance for the rules.^[4]

Declaring goods at the border

Everything you bought abroad, including food, must be declared to CBSA, and you should declare when in doubt.^[3] If undeclared goods are found, you may have to pay a penalty of 25% to 70% of their value to get them back.^[3]

The other direction: taking medication to China

Chinese customs applies a personal-use, reasonable-quantity standard. The usual practice is to carry a prescription or a doctor's note and keep the original packaging.

Cannabis laws differ

Cannabis is legal in Canada but not in China. Global Affairs Canada warns that China can convict people based on urine or hair tests, even for use that took place abroad.^[5]