Has anyone had any issues bring meds into Spain?
Never had an issue. Never asked. I personally don’t know of anybody who has ever been asked. This question gets asked a fair amount on the forum. There are some who debate whether you need doctors scripts and original packaging. While I’ve personally never have done that, I have electronic access to my records if I ever needed them and I personally haven’t gone to the trouble to ask my doctor to print them out nor do I worry about original packaging— especially for shorter trips.
Happy travels.
This is the information on the Gov.UK website - doubtless the US Govt site has similar information.
Having travelled to and in Spain for 12 years, unless you have controlled drugs, there are not normally problems coming into Spain.
Can an individual bring his/her necessary medication to their
destination in Spain? Article 74 of Law 29/2006 of July 26th states
that: "medication that accompanies travelers following a medical
treatment is excluded from the established protocols in the previous
articles". Thus, in order to avoid problems with the Spanish customs
office, it is recommended that the patient traveling with medication
to Spain brings a doctor’s prescription/medical report that justifies
the treatment. However, one should consider the previously stated
regulations of the country of destination.
https://www.exteriores.gob.es/Embajadas/washington/en/Embajada/Paginas/FAQ.aspx
Not only is no one going to look at your pills, no one at the airport--immigration, customs--is likely to even take a peek into your bags unless you give off some odd vibes, which I imagine would be unlikely given the demographic of posters on this site...including myself. I take a controlled drug.
No, never and I visit Spain several times every year and have done for decades. Not once has anyone shown any interest in my medication.
Numerous trips with several common meds. Never asked or had bag looked at.
Bringing medication into Spain for your own personal use is generally not a problem. Keep it in its original packaging and, ideally, carry a copy of your prescription or a doctor's letter, especially if it's prescription-only medication. The amount should be reasonable for the length of your stay, with up to about three months' supply generally accepted. The main exception is medication containing narcotic or psychotropic substances, which may require additional paperwork before you travel. If in doubt, the Spanish medicines agency (AEMPS) has the official guidance.
One more thing that's easy to overlook: medicines aren't classified the same way in every country. A medication that is perfectly legal and commonly prescribed where you live may be controlled, restricted, or even unavailable in Spain. That's another reason why it's worth checking the official guidance before you travel, rather than assuming the rules are the same everywhere.
“I’ve never been asked” only means that you personally were never checked. It doesn’t mean the rule doesn’t exist, and it certainly isn’t reliable advice for someone else. Most travellers are not stopped, but checks do happen regularly, and the consequences depend on the medication. The sensible approach is to follow the official guidance, not assume that someone else’s experience guarantees anything.
And a friendly reminder for our British friends: since the UK is no longer part of the EU, the same rules apply to you as to any other non-EU traveller. Much of the advice from before Brexit is no longer applicable, so it's worth checking the current official guidance rather than relying on older experiences.