Is Xanax (Alprazolam) legal in France?
- Legal status
- Alprazolam is a Liste I prescription medicine (substances vénéneuses, Code de la santé publique) — a national tier above the 1971 Schedule IV baseline.
- Consequences if caught
- Illicit use or possession up to 1 year plus a fine; trafficking or supply up to 10 years.
- If prescribed or medical
- Prescribed as a Liste I benzodiazepine (12-week maximum for anxiety indications).
- Documentation
- Carry the Schengen Article 75 certificate; a prescription is valid for 3 months.
Drug laws and enforcement change and vary within a country. This is not legal advice. Always confirm with France’s embassy or official drug authority before traveling; penalties can be severe, including imprisonment.
Before you travel
Verify current rules with the destination country’s official drug authority and your own country’s embassy before traveling. Find the destination’s U.S. embassy & official country guidance →
Non-U.S. travelers: check your own government’s travel advisory and embassy.
If you’re detained or arrested abroad
Contact your own country’s embassy or consulate in the destination immediately — not the destination’s authorities. U.S. citizens: contact the nearest U.S. embassy/consulate and the U.S. State Department at +1-202-501-4444 (from abroad). If a U.S. citizen is arrested or detained abroad →