Legality
Is it legal in Antigua and Barbuda? Drug law and penalties
Antigua and Barbuda runs a Misuse of Drugs Act that looks like the British one and does not behave like it. This page states what the classes actually do, quotes the schedule that sets each penalty, and links every substance to its own sourced entry. Legal information, not legal advice.
A British act with the classes drained of effect
The Misuse of Drugs Act, Cap. 283, carries a First Schedule under section 3 divided into Class A drugs, Class B drugs and Class C drugs, and a Second Schedule of punishments under section 25. That is the structure of the British Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, and many of the entries are the same.
The Second Schedule is where it diverges. Production, and supplying or offering to supply, carry two years and a fine of not less than 20,000 dollars and not exceeding 500,000 dollars on summary conviction, and seven years and a fine on indictment. Those figures are identical for Class A, Class B and Class C.
Possession carries two years and a fine of not less than 5,000 dollars and not exceeding 200,000 dollars summarily, again the same for all three classes, and on indictment seven years for Class A and Class B and four years for Class C.
So the class separates two things and nothing else: the indictment limb for possession, and the money figures for import and export under section 26. In the United Kingdom the class decides everything from two years to life. Reading a British guide and applying it here overstates the supply penalty for a Class A drug and understates it for a Class C one.
What the schedule reaches, and what its silence does not mean
Class A includes cannabinol, cocaine, N,N-dimethyltryptamine, fentanyl, diamorphine, lysergide, mescaline, morphine, opium and psilocin. Class B includes amphetamine, codeine and methylamphetamine. Class C includes methaqualone.
The act dates from 1974 and the amendment list printed on the consolidated text runs to 1989. MDMA, ketamine, GHB, phencyclidine, nimetazepam and the benzodiazepines do not appear in that text.
That silence is not an answer. Section 3(2) provides that the Minister may by Order make such amendments to the First Schedule or any part thereof as may be necessary, so any of those substances may have been added by an Order made since. This site does not state that a substance is uncontrolled in Antigua and Barbuda on the strength of its absence from the printed schedule.
What each provision carries
| Provision | Conduct | Penalty |
|---|---|---|
| s. 8, Second Schedule | Having possession of a controlled drug | Summary, 2 years and 5,000 to 200,000 dollars. Indictment, 7 years for Class A or B, 4 years for Class C |
| s. 5(2), Second Schedule | Production of a controlled drug | Summary, 2 years and 20,000 to 500,000 dollars. Indictment, 7 years and a fine. Same for all three classes |
| s. 5(3), Second Schedule | Supplying or offering to supply | The same figures as production, and the same for all three classes |
| s. 26 | Importation or exportation | Summary, six times the value or 20,000 to 200,000 dollars whichever is greater, and 12 months. Indictment, an unlimited fine and 10 years |
| s. 3(2) | Amending the First Schedule | The Minister may do it by Order, so absence from the printed schedule is not an answer |
Every substance confirmed against a primary source
87 substances have a status for Antigua and Barbuda verified against a named statute. Each row links to the full entry, with the consequences, the prescription position and the source.
| Substance | Status |
|---|---|
| 1P-LSD | Not listed, and the lysergamide entry is narrower than it first looks. This is a positive finding of absence and not a deferral. The terms searched were 1P-LSD... |
| 2-FDCK | Not listed, and neither is its parent. This is a positive finding of absence and not a deferral. The terms searched were 2-FDCK, 2-fluorodeschloroketamine, fluoroketamine, each... |
| 25I-NBOMe | Not listed, and the one phenethylamine entry does not reach it. This is a positive finding of absence and not a deferral. The terms searched were 25I-NBOMe... |
| 2C-B | Not listed. The one phenethylamine entry in the Act is DOM and not this. This is a positive finding of absence and not a deferral. The terms searched were 2C-B... |
| 2C-E | Not listed, for the same reason as the rest of the 2C series. This is a positive finding of absence and not a deferral. The terms searched were 2C-E... |
| 2C-I | Not listed, for the same reason as the rest of the 2C series. This is a positive finding of absence and not a deferral. The terms searched were 2C-I... |
| 2C-T-7 | Not listed, for the same reason as the rest of the 2C series. This is a positive finding of absence and not a deferral. The terms searched were 2C-T-7... |
| 3-MMC | Not listed, and no cathinone of any kind is. This is a positive finding of absence and not a deferral. The terms searched were 3-MMC, 3-methylmethcathinone, metaphedrone, each... |
| 4-AcO-DMT | Controlled. It is the acetate ester of a named Class A entry. No entry names it, and it is reached by a rule the Act itself prints rather than by analogy. The route runs to... |
| 4-HO-MET | Not listed, and the paragraph 3 route that catches its neighbours does not reach it. This is a positive finding of absence and not a deferral. The terms searched were 4-HO-MET... |
| 5-MeO-DMT (Bufo / Toad) | Controlled. It is the methyl ether of a named Class A entry. No entry names it, and it is reached by a rule the Act itself prints rather than by analogy. The route runs to Part... |
| 6-APB | Not listed, and no benzofuran is. This is a positive finding of absence and not a deferral. The terms searched were 6-APB, 6-(2-aminopropyl)benzofuran, benzofury, each... |
| 7-Hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) | Not listed, and neither is its parent or the plant. This is a positive finding of absence and not a deferral. The terms searched were 7-hydroxymitragynine, 7-OH... |
| Adderall | Controlled. Both of its active constituents are Class B drugs. It is printed in Part II of the First Schedule to the Misuse of Drugs Act, Cap. 283, which is the Class B list... |
| Alcohol | Not listed, and this Act does not reach it at all. This is a positive finding of absence and not a deferral. The terms searched were alcohol, ethanol, ethyl alcohol, spirits... |
| Amanita muscaria | Not listed, neither the mushroom nor its active constituents. This is a positive finding of absence and not a deferral. The terms searched were Amanita muscaria, fly agaric... |
| Amphetamine | Controlled. It is a Class B drug. It is printed in Part II of the First Schedule to the Misuse of Drugs Act, Cap. 283, which is the Class B list, and possession of it is an... |
| Amyl Nitrite | Not listed, and no alkyl nitrite is. This is a positive finding of absence and not a deferral. The terms searched were amyl nitrite, isoamyl nitrite, pentyl nitrite, nitrite... |
| Ayahuasca | Controlled. The brew is a preparation containing a Class A drug. No entry names it, and it is reached by a rule the Act itself prints rather than by analogy. The route runs to... |
| Benzodiazepines | Not listed as a class, and not listed member by member either. This is a positive finding of absence and not a deferral. The terms searched were benzodiazepine, diazepine, and... |
| Buprenorphine | Not listed, although the Act is dense with opioids. This is a positive finding of absence and not a deferral. The terms searched were buprenorphine, Subutex, Suboxone... |
| Caffeine | Not listed, and this Act does not reach it at all. This is a positive finding of absence and not a deferral. The terms searched were caffeine, guarana, trimethylxanthine, each... |
| Cannabinol | Controlled. It is a Class A drug, and the isolated substance is treated more severely than the plant. It is printed in Part I of the First Schedule to the Misuse of Drugs Act... |
| Cannabis / THC | Controlled. It is a Class B drug, and the Act defines it far more widely than the statute it copies. It is printed in Part II of the First Schedule to the Misuse of Drugs Act... |
| Cathinone | Not listed, neither the alkaloid nor the plant that carries it. This is a positive finding of absence and not a deferral. The terms searched were cathinone, cathine... |
| CBD | Controlled. It reads as a Class B cannabis derivative, and no percentage saves it. No entry names it, and it is reached by a rule the Act itself prints rather than by analogy.... |
| Clonazepam | Not listed. There is no benzodiazepine anywhere in this Act. This is a positive finding of absence and not a deferral. The terms searched were clonazepam, Klonopin, Rivotril... |
| Cocaine | Controlled. It is a Class A drug. It is printed in Part I of the First Schedule to the Misuse of Drugs Act, Cap. 283, which is the Class A list, and possession of it is an... |
| Codeine | Controlled. It is a Class B drug. It is printed in Part II of the First Schedule to the Misuse of Drugs Act, Cap. 283, which is the Class B list, and possession of it is an... |
| Crack Cocaine | Controlled. It is a Class A drug. It is printed in Part I of the First Schedule to the Misuse of Drugs Act, Cap. 283, which is the Class A list, and possession of it is an... |
| Delta-8-THC | Controlled. Isolated, it reads as a Class A cannabinol derivative. No entry names it, and it is reached by a rule the Act itself prints rather than by analogy. The route runs... |
| Diazepam | Not listed. There is no benzodiazepine anywhere in this Act. This is a positive finding of absence and not a deferral. The terms searched were diazepam, Valium... |
| DMT | Controlled. It is a Class A drug. It is printed in Part I of the First Schedule to the Misuse of Drugs Act, Cap. 283, which is the Class A list, and possession of it is an... |
| DOM | Controlled. It is a Class A drug. It is printed in Part I of the First Schedule to the Misuse of Drugs Act, Cap. 283, which is the Class A list, and possession of it is an... |
| DXM | Not controlled, and this is the one row in the set where the Act names the substance in order to exclude it. Paragraph 2 of Part I of the First Schedule to the Misuse of Drugs... |
| Ephedrine | Not listed, and the Act has no precursor provisions at all. This is a positive finding of absence and not a deferral. The terms searched were ephedrine, pseudoephedrine... |
| Etizolam | Not listed. It is a thienodiazepine and the Act has neither those nor benzodiazepines. This is a positive finding of absence and not a deferral. The terms searched were... |
| Fentanyl | Controlled. It is a Class A drug. It is printed in Part I of the First Schedule to the Misuse of Drugs Act, Cap. 283, which is the Class A list, and possession of it is an... |
| Gabapentin | Not listed, and the Act has no gabapentinoid. This is a positive finding of absence and not a deferral. The terms searched were gabapentin, Neurontin... |
| GBL | Not listed, and neither is the substance it converts to. This is a positive finding of absence and not a deferral. The terms searched were GBL, gamma-butyrolactone... |
| GHB | Not listed, and no depressant of this kind is. This is a positive finding of absence and not a deferral. The terms searched were GHB, gamma-hydroxybutyric acid, sodium oxybate... |
| Heroin | Controlled. It is a Class A drug. It is printed in Part I of the First Schedule to the Misuse of Drugs Act, Cap. 283, which is the Class A list, and possession of it is an... |
| HHC | Controlled. It reads as a Class B cannabis derivative, and the Part IV route does not reach it. No entry names it, and it is reached by a rule the Act itself prints rather than... |
| Hydrocodone | Controlled. It is a Class A drug. It is printed in Part I of the First Schedule to the Misuse of Drugs Act, Cap. 283, which is the Class A list, and possession of it is an... |
| Ketamine | Not listed, and no arylcyclohexylamine is. This is a positive finding of absence and not a deferral. The terms searched were ketamine... |
| Khat | Not listed, neither the plant nor its alkaloids. This is a positive finding of absence and not a deferral. The terms searched were khat, qat, Catha edulis, miraa, each... |
| Kratom | Not listed, neither the tree nor its alkaloids. This is a positive finding of absence and not a deferral. The terms searched were kratom, Mitragyna speciosa, ketum, biak, each... |
| Lorazepam | Not listed. There is no benzodiazepine anywhere in this Act. This is a positive finding of absence and not a deferral. The terms searched were lorazepam, Ativan, Temesta, each... |
| LSA (Morning Glory) | Controlled. It is a Class A drug. It is printed in Part I of the First Schedule to the Misuse of Drugs Act, Cap. 283, which is the Class A list, and possession of it is an... |
| LSD | Controlled. It is a Class A drug. It is printed in Part I of the First Schedule to the Misuse of Drugs Act, Cap. 283, which is the Class A list, and possession of it is an... |
| MDA | Not listed, and no methylenedioxy compound is. This is a positive finding of absence and not a deferral. The terms searched were MDA, 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine... |
| MDMA | Not listed, and no methylenedioxy compound is. This is a positive finding of absence and not a deferral. The terms searched were MDMA, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine... |
| MDPV | Not listed, and no pyrovalerone compound is. This is a positive finding of absence and not a deferral. The terms searched were MDPV, 3,4-methylenedioxypyrovalerone... |
| Memantine | Not listed, and no NMDA antagonist is. This is a positive finding of absence and not a deferral. The terms searched were memantine, Namenda, 1-amino-3,5-dimethyladamantane... |
| Mephedrone (4-MMC) | Not listed, and no cathinone of any kind is. This is a positive finding of absence and not a deferral. The terms searched were mephedrone, 4-MMC, 4-methylmethcathinone, meow... |
| Mescaline | Controlled. It is a Class A drug. It is printed in Part I of the First Schedule to the Misuse of Drugs Act, Cap. 283, which is the Class A list, and possession of it is an... |
| Methadone | Controlled. It is a Class A drug. It is printed in Part I of the First Schedule to the Misuse of Drugs Act, Cap. 283, which is the Class A list, and possession of it is an... |
| Methamphetamine | Controlled. It is a Class B drug. It is printed in Part II of the First Schedule to the Misuse of Drugs Act, Cap. 283, which is the Class B list, and possession of it is an... |
| Methaqualone (Quaaludes) | Controlled. It is a Class C drug, and it is the only substance among these 88 that sits in Part III. It is printed in Part III of the First Schedule to the Misuse of Drugs Act... |
| Methylone | Not listed. It is both a cathinone and a methylenedioxy compound, and the Act has neither. This is a positive finding of absence and not a deferral. The terms searched were... |
| Methylphenidate | Controlled. It is a Class B drug. It is printed in Part II of the First Schedule to the Misuse of Drugs Act, Cap. 283, which is the Class B list, and possession of it is an... |
| Mitragynine | Not listed, and no indole alkaloid of its type is. This is a positive finding of absence and not a deferral. The terms searched were mitragynine, Mitragyna speciosa alkaloid... |
| Modafinil | Not listed, although the stimulants that are listed sit close by. This is a positive finding of absence and not a deferral. The terms searched were modafinil, Provigil... |
| Morphine | Controlled. It is a Class A drug. It is printed in Part I of the First Schedule to the Misuse of Drugs Act, Cap. 283, which is the Class A list, and possession of it is an... |
| MXE | Not listed, and neither is its parent. This is a positive finding of absence and not a deferral. The terms searched were MXE, methoxetamine, 3-MeO-2-oxo-PCE, each returning... |
| Nicotine | Not listed, and this Act does not reach it at all. This is a positive finding of absence and not a deferral. The terms searched were nicotine, nicotine salts, vaping liquid... |
| Nimetazepam | Not listed. There is no benzodiazepine anywhere in this Act. This is a positive finding of absence and not a deferral. The terms searched were nimetazepam, Erimin... |
| Nitrous Oxide | Not listed, and no inhalant of any kind is. This is a positive finding of absence and not a deferral. The terms searched were nitrous oxide, N2O, laughing gas, dinitrogen... |
| Opium | Controlled. It is a Class A drug, and it is the one substance the Act gives its own offence section. It is printed in Part I of the First Schedule to the Misuse of Drugs Act... |
| Oxycodone | Controlled. It is a Class A drug. It is printed in Part I of the First Schedule to the Misuse of Drugs Act, Cap. 283, which is the Class A list, and possession of it is an... |
| PCP | Not listed, and no arylcyclohexylamine is. This is a positive finding of absence and not a deferral. The terms searched were PCP, phencyclidine, angel dust... |
| Peyote | Controlled in its prepared forms. The cactus itself is not named and the growing plant is not clearly caught. No entry names it, and it is reached by a rule the Act itself... |
| Phenibut | Not listed, and no GABA analogue is. This is a positive finding of absence and not a deferral. The terms searched were phenibut, beta-phenyl-gamma-aminobutyric acid, Anvifen... |
| Pink Cocaine / Tusi | This is a street label and not one chemical entry, so it resolves only through the constituent actually present. No entry reads pink cocaine, tusi or tucibi, and no entry... |
| Poppers | This is a product label and not one chemical entry, and no alkyl nitrite is named in the First Schedule. This cell is a positive finding of absence and not a deferral. Amyl... |
| Pregabalin | Not listed, and the Act has no gabapentinoid. This is a positive finding of absence and not a deferral. The terms searched were pregabalin, Lyrica... |
| Psilocybin | Controlled. It is an ester of a named Class A entry. No entry names it, and it is reached by a rule the Act itself prints rather than by analogy. The route runs to Part I of... |
| Quetiapine | Not listed, and the Act contains no antipsychotic at all. This is a positive finding of absence and not a deferral. The terms searched were quetiapine, Seroquel... |
| Salvia divinorum | Not listed, neither the plant nor its active diterpene. This is a positive finding of absence and not a deferral. The terms searched were Salvia divinorum, salvinorin A, ska... |
| Scopolamine (Devil's Breath) | Not listed, and no tropane alkaloid except cocaine is. This is a positive finding of absence and not a deferral. The terms searched were scopolamine, hyoscine, Datura... |
| Synthetic Cannabinoids (K2 / Spice) | This is a class label and not one chemical entry, and no synthetic cannabinoid is named in the First Schedule. JWH-018, AM-2201, the HU series, the CP series, the CUMYL and... |
| THC-P | Controlled. Isolated, it reads as a Class A cannabinol derivative. No entry names it, and it is reached by a rule the Act itself prints rather than by analogy. The route runs... |
| Tobacco | Not listed, and this Act does not reach it at all. This is a positive finding of absence and not a deferral. The terms searched were tobacco, Nicotiana, cigarette, snuff, each... |
| Tramadol | Not listed, although the Act is dense with opioids. This is a positive finding of absence and not a deferral. The terms searched were tramadol, Ultram, Tramal... |
| Xanax (Alprazolam) | Not listed. There is no benzodiazepine anywhere in this Act. This is a positive finding of absence and not a deferral. The terms searched were alprazolam, Xanax... |
| Xylazine | Not listed, and the Act contains no veterinary sedative. This is a positive finding of absence and not a deferral. The terms searched were xylazine, Rompun, tranq, alpha-2... |
| Zolpidem | Not listed. The Act carries no sedative hypnotic other than methaqualone. This is a positive finding of absence and not a deferral. The terms searched were zolpidem, Ambien... |
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Not separately listed
1 substance is not separately named in the sources we could reach for Antigua and Barbuda
For these the governing national drug law is cited, but we have not verified that the substance specifically is scheduled under it. Treat them as unanswered, not as legal. Confirm with Antigua and Barbuda’s drug authority or your embassy.
| Substance | What we found |
|---|---|
| Barbiturates | Not confirmed. The member by member check that resolves a class label was run and returned no member to check. None... |
Sources
- Misuse of Drugs Act, Cap. 283, Laws of Antigua and Barbuda Consulted 16 September 2026. Printed amendment list runs to 1989.
Statute text on this page is quoted from the copies linked above. Last verified September 21, 2026.