Is Codeine legal in Cambodia?
- Legal status
- Codeine is a controlled drug - use or possession outside a medical prescription is prohibited under the Law on the Control of Drugs (1996, amended 2005/2011); codeine seizures are documented.
- Consequences if caught
- Drug offences can draw 5 years to life imprisonment; unauthorised possession is criminal.
- If prescribed or medical
- Handled as a controlled prescription medicine.
- Documentation
- Carry the original prescription and documentation; enforcement is harsh, so confirm import rules with Cambodian authorities before travel.
Drug laws and enforcement change and vary within a country. This is not legal advice. Always confirm with Cambodia’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 →