Is Codeine legal in Kuwait?
- Legal status
- Codeine is a controlled narcotic under Law No. 74 of 1983 (as amended); low-dose codeine is below the capital tier absent trafficking intent. Kuwait carries out drug executions (its first in a decade in April 2023; at least 12 drug death sentences in 2023), but capital exposure attaches to aggravated narcotic trafficking, not therapeutic codeine.
- Consequences if caught
- Aggravated narcotic trafficking is death-eligible; unauthorised possession or supply of codeine draws imprisonment, while prescribed use is lawful.
- If prescribed or medical
- Dispensed as a controlled prescription medicine.
- Documentation
- Ministry of Health prior authorisation is required to import controlled medicines - carry prescription documentation.
Drug laws and enforcement change and vary within a country. This is not legal advice. Always confirm with Kuwait’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 →