I am unable to visit Japan.
I head up a small community for fans of a niche indie brand. The founder is doing an event in Japan with an exclusive item for people who attend! I was so excited and was looking into booking a plane ticket to go!
However.. turns out that Japan has a law that absolutely forbids stimulant medication in the country. And, no, I don't really want to upend my regimen of 8 years and risk going on a new medication for the trip.
I'm really shattered, as I wanted to attend this cool event and meet up with other enthusiasts. It really hurts to be barred from an opportunity like this.
I hate ADHD. I really do.
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Which is ironic since the original Vyvanse manufacturer, Takeda pharmaceuticals, is based in Tokyo.
Apparently Vyvanse is the only one that's allowed. Sounds like regulatory capture to me.
Ritalin/Concerta is also allowed.
Oh shit. Guess I'm allowed in Japan after all.
It's actually an interesting history that goes back to WWII. Japan distributed amphetamines to both soldiers and civilian workers to support the war effort. After the war, it turned into a serious problem of abuse. That in turn led to the country banning amphetamines outright in 1954-1955 and they have never really reconsidered.
Here's an article from 1957 on the topic: https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/data-and-analysis/bulletin/bulletin_1957-01-01_3_page003.html