Does anyone know if you can bring herbs or nutritional supplements for personal use with you on a trip to Europe? The European Union has banned many herbs for personal use. I tried to find out from the European Union and various country embassies as well as the Irish customs office where I'm landing, but have only gotten recorded messages or referrals to recorded messages so far.
Posted by
Malaga, Malaga, Spain
410 posts
I regularly travel in Europe with supplements and vitamins, as well as prescribed drugs. I have never been questioned - even in places like Dubai, which I travel through regularly. If I am away for several months, which is not unusual, I will take the vitamins in their original containers, but on a shorter trip will just take one container with all I need. Again for space reasons I will generally take the prescribed medications out of their packaging. I have occasionally taken the prescriptions with me, but generally not.
Posted by
Charlotte, NC, USA
3428 posts
Where did you hear the EU had banned herbs/supplements? I have never heard of that. You should have no problem taking what you need for your personal use. If they have banned some things, it will just mean you couldn't buy them there, not that you couldn't take your own.
Posted by
London, United Kingdom
4684 posts
The EU is cracking down on the sale of dodgy herbs/food supplements and the sort of claims that can be made by businesses about their health effects. It shouldn't have anything to do with what you can bring in for your own use (so long as you don't start relentlessly plugging it to other people).
Posted by
Copenhagen, Denmark
265 posts
Usually, you can bring what you want if it is for personal use. This means that the amount of medication/vitamins should be reasonable compared to the length of your stay. There are some strict rules about supplements containing high doses of vitamins, and the US normally allows higher doses per pill than the EU does, but I would think that you would be fine if it is for personal use only.