The 50-something man in front of me at the pharmacy in Goa turns around and grins. ‘Sorry for the hold up love,’ he says in a distinctly British accent. ‘He’s gone out the back as he didn’t have enough Viagra under the counter.’

It must be apparent that I’m taken aback by his admission, so he continues to explain: ‘Everyone does it. You can get a whole year’s supply here and it costs nothing compared to what it costs in the UK – and you don’t even have to see a doctor.’

After he’s done, I tell the pharmacist I have a cold and want something like a day and night tablet. He gives me two lots of pills and assures me they’ll work. I’m not too sure what I’m getting, but it only costs about 50p, so I pay.

I don’t recognise the drug names, so I Google them. One is a decongestant; the other turns out to be Valium. On the back of the packet it says: ‘Schedule H drug. Warning: to be sold by retail on the prescription of a registered medical practitioner only.’

After a blissful sleep, albeit with a slightly groggy wake-up, I decide to get a few more, for such future eventualities as long-distance plane trips. Having suffered insomnia on and off throughout my life, I know how hard it is to get doctors in Britain to prescribe you anything of the sort. I visit maybe five pharmacies around India, and have no problems getting what I ask for.

Along with India, many other countries such as Egypt, Turkey and Mexico have a reputation for a rather relaxed attitude to prescription drugs. But while bypassing the doctor and saving money might seem like a good idea, there are risks involved.

Heidi Wright, head of quality improvement at the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, says that there is a danger that people do not knowing what they are getting. ‘Here, medicines are very well regulated, but when you go abroad you may buy drugs in countries that aren’t so stringent,’ she explains. ‘Counterfeiting statistics are quite high in some countries; there’s a real risk of ending up with something that isn’t what it says on the bottle.’

Although Wright says that in most cases counterfeit drugs are simply ineffective, they can also contain dangerous ingredients, or be the wrong strength.

Harry Shapiro, director of communications and information at Drugscope, a charity that works to reduce drug-related risks in Britain, says people may also be putting themselves at risk of addiction, particularly if they are stocking up on painkillers.

‘Drugs like Vicodin have been identified as drugs that have a high addiction potential,’ he says. ‘Most codeine-based products are now prescription-only simply because of this addiction potential, but when people are buying these drugs abroad, or over the internet, there are no checks and balances.’

Benzodiazepines, like the diazepam (Valium) I purchased, are also known to be addictive, though not to the same degree as codeine-based products. Your medical history and other medications you are taking are also not taken into consideration.

Like the man I met in India, many men buy Viagra overseas because it is cheaper and easier to get hold of. When Boots started an over-the-counter trial of the medicine in Manchester in 2007, patients still had to book a consultation with a pharmacist and paid £50 for four tablets. In India, that would get you hundreds of pills.

Taking Viagra without consulting a doctor or pharmacist can be dangerous, says Naomi Craft, a general practitioner and medical columnist. ‘Cardiac patients in particular should always discuss the use of Viagra to avoid possible side effects. There are particular drugs called nitrates which are commonly given to people with heart conditions that you shouldn’t take Viagra with,’ she says. She says people who have had a stroke recently, low blood pressure, or an angulated erect penis should also not take Viagra.

You only have to look at the some of the more recent celebrity addiction cases to realise that it isn’t only illicit drugs that cause problems. The International Narcotics Control Board’s annual report, released in March 2007, claims the abuse and trafficking of prescription drugs is set to exceed illicit drug abuse. And in July, a group of MPs and peers called the All Party Parliamentary Group on Drug Misuse launched an inquiry into the scale of prescription drug abuses in Britain.

Much of the official concern about prescription drugs is directed at internet pharmacies and people selling drugs illegally, and you’re unlikely to find yourself in trouble for bringing prescription drugs into Britain. It’s not illegal to bring them home, as long as they are for personal use. Even anabolic steroids can be imported for personal use, according to customs officials.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) however, will take action if they suspect that people plan to supply medications to others. ‘If you are coming back from a country and bringing in huge quantities of medications, then common sense will dictate that you aren’t going to get through those medications yourself, therefore you must be planning to sell them on,’ says a MHRA spokesperson. ‘The illegality comes in with the illegal sale and supply.’

Other countries have different rules, though, so if you’re travelling via other destinations, it’s wise to assess the situation before you go. For example, in Greece, codeine is banned, so even over-the-counter medications could land you in hot water.

However tempting it may be, stocking up on pills in countries where regulation is minimal is risky. If your doctor at home won’t prescribe the drug you want, there’s probably a good reason and going against their advice could be detrimental to your health. And while foreign drugs may be cheap, they could also be worthless, or even dangerous.