In Singapore and Japan, common decongestant medications like Tylenol Cold, NyQuil, Sudafed, Nasofed, or Vicks inhalers are subject to bans due to their active ingredient, pseudoephedrine. As a decongestant drug, pseudoephedrine is typically used to alleviate symptoms associated with nasal congestion (a blocked nose), which easily happens when you catch a cold, the flu, a sinus infection, or during allergy season. This type of drug works by reducing blood flow toward blood vessels in the nasal passages, thereby lowering the swelling that makes breathing difficult (congestion).
However, despite decongestants being seemingly harmless, regulations in both countries can make traveling with pseudoephedrine-containing meds challenging due to concerns over potential abuse. For instance, Japan’s ban stems from its history of drug abuse, which has led it to enforce rigorous laws against anti-stimulant drugs, treating the possession of decongestants as a controlled substance offense, even if you have a prescription. Thus, since the amount of pseudoephedrine in these drugs surpasses Japanese standards, you will not be allowed to enter the country with them. In contrast, while you may travel to Singapore with decongestants, the country’s regulations require you to submit an application for approval two weeks prior to your trip when bringing in more than a three-month supply of any meds containing a pseudoephedrine content higher than 21.6 grams.