Is Codeine legal in Sweden?
- Legal status
- Codeine is prescription-only (receptbelagd) in Sweden; combination analgesics are classed as scheduled narcotics only if they contain 100 mg or more of codeine per unit, but all codeine products require a prescription.
- Consequences if caught
- Products at 100 mg/unit or above are scheduled narcotics; unauthorised possession is prosecutable under the narcotics law (a minor offence draws a fine or up to 6 months, an ordinary offence up to 3 years).
- If prescribed or medical
- Prescribed and dispensed as a prescription medicine (a scheduled narcotic at 100 mg/unit or above).
- Documentation
- Carry a prescription and original packaging; within Schengen the Article 75 certificate applies for scheduled forms.
Drug laws and enforcement change and vary within a country. This is not legal advice. Always confirm with Sweden’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 →