Is Codeine legal in Libya?
- Legal status
- Codeine is a controlled narcotic under Law No. 7 of 1990 on narcotics and psychotropics; supply is disrupted by instability. The death penalty applies to aggravated trafficking on paper, but capital does not attach to therapeutic codeine.
- Consequences if caught
- Aggravated trafficking is death-eligible on paper; unauthorised possession of codeine draws imprisonment, while prescribed use is lawful (enforcement is fragmented).
- If prescribed or medical
- PRESCRIPTION AVAILABILITY NOT CONFIRMED. Libya's 2026 INCB estimates were not furnished by Libya: the entry is asterisked, and the publication's own legend reads "* Annual estimates were established by the Board". That Board-set list contains NO codeine line at all — only alfentanil, fentanyl, morphine, oxycodone and pethidine. Libya has also furnished INCB no traveller regulation ("Information not yet provided by country"), and no Libyan medicines-regulator source for codeine was reachable. The control status above is what is established; whether codeine is dispensed on prescription in Libya is not confirmed here.
- Documentation
- Import authorisation is nominally required but instability leaves no reliable channel - carry full documentation.
- hri.global
- INCB Estimated World Requirements of Narcotic Drugs for 2026 (April update), legend "* Annual estimates were established by the Board": https://www.incb.org/incb/uploads/documents/Narcotic-Drugs/Status-of-Estimates/2026/EstApr26.pdf
- INCB Country Regulations for Travellers: https://www.incb.org/incb/en/travellers/country-regulations.html
Court records
We have not yet assessed whether court records are publicly available for this jurisdiction.
Codeine in related jurisdictions
Other substances confirmed in Libya
Drug laws and enforcement change and vary within a country. This is not legal advice. Always confirm with Libya’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 →