I set out on my Canadian oddessy around 10am yesterday. It was close to noon when I arrived at the border and was allowed through. I headed straight to a pharmacy and asked for some injectable B12. I asked if I could get more than one and, without asking how many, the pharmacist brought two to the counter. I had actually wanted three but, when the pharmacist started asking why I was buying two, I thought I'd better not ask for a third. I explained that a lot of it was being wasted because I was doing frequent subQ injections instead of monthly IM ones. He seemed satisfied at the answer and rung up the purchase. The pharmacy was in the same parking lot as a grocery store so I went in there and bought a third ampoule. There was certainly a price difference involved. The two I'd purchased at the pharmacy were $6.99 each. The one I bought at the grocery store was $12.98! I opted not to stop for lunch because I wasn't particularly hungry. I headed back to the border crossing and waited. It was 12:37 on my dashboard clock when I pulled into the backed up line of cars waiting to cross. About an hour later it was finally my turn. I declared my B12 purchase, just as I have on previous occassions when I've crossed to buy it. It confused the border agent who believed that the only over the counter medication a person could bring across the border was tylenol with codeine. He asked me why I was buying it there and I said it was easier to purchase in Canada. He figured that it must be a controlled substance so he sent me into the customs building to talk to another border agent. It was around 1:45 when I got into that line. It was around 3:50 when I finally reached the front of the line. There were two lines waiting to see agents but the agents kept callingn on people out of only one of the lines. You guessed it, I was in the other one. The intervening two hours were spent chatting with other people in line. We'd all been handed little orange forms when we were directed into the building. On mine the first agent had written and circled "wacky" and below that "see note". I have no idea what the note said since it wasn't on the form. While waiting in the non-moving line, I called out to an agent who was nearby and asked him which agents were serving the line I was in. No one in line with me had been able to figure it out. The agent's response was, "I'm not on the clock," then he turned and walked away. I called after him saying, "Remarkable customer service!" (a phrase that had been bandied about at my job recently), then gave him two thumbs up and smiled. Some of the people in the line near me found it amusing. When I finally got to speak to an agent, I showed him the B12 and told him that I had previously brought it in with no difficulties. This agent was also under the impression that only tylenol with codeine was permitted, so I pointed out that the website says "up to 50 doses of medication" and he said, "You're right, it doesn't specify." He was still not entirely certain and had to go ask someone for clarification. When he came back he explained that it was a no-brainer that vitamin B12 is not a controlled substance. The question had only been about the fact that it was injectable. He asked me how much money I save by injecting over taking pills. I told him it was actually quite a bit (which was an easier answer than trying to explain why pills wouldn't work). Then he asked me if I was planning on selling it to anyone once I got home. I assured him that, after all the hassle to get it, I was planning on keeping it for myself. After that he stamped my orange form and told me I could go. It was 4:03. It took over three hours to cross the border. After that little hiccup, I viewed the speed limit as more of a suggestion than a rule and made it back to my house around 5:30. The whole trip took me seven and a half hours.
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galixie's journal
