Is Cannabis / THC legal in Saudi Arabia?
- Legal status
- Prohibited — all recreational drugs banned, including cannabis (Anti-Narcotics Law, Royal Decree M/39 of 1426H/2005)
- Consequences if caught
- Cannabis is prohibited. Saudi Arabia prohibits all recreational drugs. Trafficking, smuggling, or importing for promotion carries the death penalty (Art. 37, Royal Decree M/39 of 1426H/2005); a court may reduce the sentence to no less than 15 years' imprisonment plus 50 lashes and a fine of no less than 100,000 SAR. Personal-use possession carries 6 months to 2 years' imprisonment (Art. 41), plus possible flogging, fines, and — for foreigners — deportation. Foreign embassies have no standing in Saudi courts.
- If prescribed or medical
- No recreational import pathway; a foreign prescription is not an exemption.
- Documentation
- None for recreational use. Any controlled medicine requires an SFDA clearance permit obtained before travel.
- sfda.gov.sa
- cds.sfda.gov.sa
- Anti-Narcotics Law (Royal Decree M/39, 1426H/2005)
Drug laws and enforcement change and vary within a country. This is not legal advice. Always confirm with Saudi Arabia’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 →