Is Barbiturates legal in Indonesia?
- Legal status
- Barbiturates are Psikotropika substances scheduled by compound under Law No. 5/1997 — the sedative-hypnotic barbiturates (secobarbital, pentobarbital, amobarbital) in Golongan III and phenobarbital/barbital in the lowest Golongan IV — transposing the 1971 Convention.
- Consequences if caught
- Unlawful possession without a prescription up to 5 years and/or Rp 100 million (Pasal 62). Indonesia's death penalty applies only to Narkotika Golongan I (heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, cannabis) under Law No. 35/2009 — barbiturates are not death-eligible.
- If prescribed or medical
- Phenobarbital is dispensed as a Golongan IV antiepileptic (a WHO Essential Medicine); the higher-tier sedative-hypnotic barbiturates are tightly controlled.
- Documentation
- Carry a prescription and original packaging; declare controlled medicines and confirm import rules with BPOM.
Court records
The Supreme Court database can be searched only by case number or party name, so drug cases cannot be located by substance.
Source checked Mahkamah Agung decision database · 2026-08-27
Barbiturates in related jurisdictions
Other substances confirmed in Indonesia
Drug laws and enforcement change and vary within a country. This is not legal advice. Always confirm with Indonesia’s embassy or official drug authority before traveling; penalties can be severe, including imprisonment.
Before you travel
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