Next Time, Better Buy Cough Drops
Ä by Richard Heffern, F.E.A.R. Chronicles vol. 2 no. 2 (July 1994)

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service conducts occasional sweeps to
interdict controlled substances in the mails.  With very rare
exceptions, these drugs are generally not mailable, even from a
drug wholesaler to a pharmacy, or from a mail order pharmacy to a
patient.  They are not allowed under any circumstances in
international mail.  In most cases, even legitimate shipments must
be sent through private courier services.

Express Mail service has been used to transport drugs, which has
led to occasional sweeps by postal inspectors.  Suspicious packages
are isolated, then passed under the nose of a drug detecting dog. 
If the dog reacts, a warrant is obtained and the package is opened
for examination.

The Inspection Service has been quick to discover the benefits of
forfeiture, even for trivial amounts of contraband.  One such
package originating in Los Angeles contained a single bottle of
codeine cough medicine destined for Dallas.  

As a Schedule V drug, codeine cough medicine ranks at the lowest
level of abuse potential, and has been sold over-the-counter in a
few states.  But comments by postal inspectors show how forfeiture
can cloud one's thought processes faster than a swig of codeine
cough syrup.  

In response to a question, former Chief Postal Inspector Charles
Clauson said the program's focus was "clearly to arrest the
senders,'' but didn't know how many senders had been arrested,
noting that "more than half'' of those arrested had received drugs.

In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Postal Inspector Donald
Obritsch helped to clarify the situation.  "The interesting thing
from our standpoint is the forfeiture,'' he said, "being able to
seize anything involved in the trafficking . . . If they come down
to the post office with a car, then they drive off Ä then we got a
vehicle.''

Just say "no'' the next time you have a cough and a well-meaning
friend or relative offers to mail you that bottle of leftover cough
syrup.  Better to buy cough drops, see your doctor Ä or just put up
with the damned cough.