Is Xanax (Alprazolam) legal in Germany?
- Legal status
- Alprazolam is listed in Anlage III of the Narcotics Act (BtMG); oral forms up to 1 mg per dosage unit fall under the 'ausgenommene Zubereitung' exemption (ordinary prescription), while higher-strength or injectable forms need a narcotics prescription (BtM-Rezept).
- Consequences if caught
- Handling or possession outside the exemption or without a narcotics prescription: up to 5 years (§29 BtMG); commercial trafficking higher.
- If prescribed or medical
- Prescribed as an Anlage III benzodiazepine; within the exemption an ordinary prescription suffices.
- Documentation
- Within the Schengen area carry the Article 75 CISA certificate; domestically carry the prescription.
Drug laws and enforcement change and vary within a country. This is not legal advice. Always confirm with Germany’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 →