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Comment by paulpauper | Hacker News Reader

So would it be possible to buy the drug in Canada and ship to US?

I think you may need to drive it across, not ship it, and the quantity limit is a 90 day supply. For people who live close enough to the border, it might be worth it.

Smuggling aside, they generally won't make it through customs: https://www.help.cbp.gov/s/article/Article-1815?language=en_...

Possible, but considering that US Ozempic revenue is $10 billion per year between only Medicaid and Medicare, that would attract customs attention. The US market was projected to increase to $58 billion by 2035.

not legally, but anything is possible

There is nothing illegal about it. People get medicines from abroad all the time that are not generic domestically. It's not a controlled substance. One might have to go through unofficial channels though. In fact, I know people domestically who already get it cheaply from elsewhere abroad.

> In most circumstances, it is illegal for individuals to import drugs or devices into the U.S. for personal use because these products purchased from other countries often have not been approved by the FDA for use and sale in the U.S.

https://www.fda.gov/industry/import-basics/personal-importat...

There are a million laws on the books that not only are not enforced, but aren't even self consistent with each other. It is enforcement that determines what one actually can or can't do. The enforcement exists for controlled substances, for resale, and for a supply of over 90 days. For personal non-commercial use of a non-controlled medicine for under 90 days, the law is not enforced, and for good reason. People would die if the law were to be enforced too strictly.

> There are a million laws on the books that not only are not enforced, but aren't even self consistent with each other. It is enforcement that determines what one actually can or can't do.

Okay but your statement was that there's "nothing illegal about it". You now agree that it's illegal, you're just unlikely to get caught. And if you are, you'll just lose that purchase and not face any legal consequences.

It's not about getting caught. It's done in the open with full awareness of everyone. It's not like anyone is hiding it.

Afaik, people hide it only for some controlled substances.

Next time you play a random music video on YouTube, please look at the number of federal copyright laws you're violating. Also, if you ever drive from one state to another, check if you have any plant food with you because crossing state lines with any plant material may be illegal. And I need not remind of marijuana which we know remains highly illegal at the federal level.

You seem to be missing the point. You said, "there is nothing illegal about it".

That's false: it is entirely illegal.

Whether or not you can get away with it due to lax enforcement, or whether or not there are any real penalties for getting caught... that's a separate issue that has nothing to do with what you said.

When the diversity of laws are not even logically self-consistent, with one law denying a right and the other permitting it, what defines what is legal and what isn't? Enforcement does.

Additionally, some laws are not even written clearly, and in fact are intentionally written vaguely.

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