Here's a link to the list of restricted medications for the UAE, from the US Embassy's website:

http://uae.usembassy.gov/restricted_medication_.html

Yikes, it even includes some types of Robitussin cough syrup!! Further, Roger Clemens should be careful there, as it appears that a lot of testosterone-type drugs are also banned. No steroids for the Dubai baseball team, I guess.

The process of getting the necessary paperwork to back up the possession of the restricted items is not at all simple: Prescription and letter from the doctor, which is then notarized. That notarization is then attested by the Secretary of State's office in the state of residence, after which that state attestion is attested by the U.S. State Dept. That whole process is usually call "Super Legalization" in the corporate law world and is neither fast nor cheap. One does get a very cool seal on the U.S. State Dept. document, sometimes even with a ribbon attached. If a passenger must go through that process to be able to carry one of the restricted items, it is much better to use a service to do the super-legalization steps, as they are very difficult for an individual to figure out how to do.

As for me, I'm going to leave my usual stash of cold and cough meds (which I always take and have never needed) at home and trust that if I need something, the Whisper's doctor will have managed to protect his pharmacy from being pillaged by the religious police.

Oh well, at least I don't have to wear an abaya (although unless I lose about 20 lbs before the cruise, I may just go for a caftan anyway...).

Cheers, Fred