Is Codeine legal in Syria?
- Legal status
- Codeine is a controlled narcotic under Narcotics Law No. 2 of 1993; low-dose codeine sits below the trafficking tier. Art. 39 imposes death for drug trafficking or manufacture on paper, but that capital exposure attaches to aggravated narcotic trafficking, not to therapeutic codeine (post-2024 transitional enforcement is uncertain).
- Consequences if caught
- Aggravated trafficking is death-eligible on paper; unauthorised possession of codeine draws imprisonment, while prescribed use is lawful.
- If prescribed or medical
- Available as medicine: Syria's INCB estimated requirement for codeine for 2026 is 3,500,000 g against morphine at 30,000 g — codeine is by far the largest opioid line in Syria's estimates. Syria is listed on INCB's country-regulations-for-travellers page as having provided information, but its English sheet was not retrievable here, so its carry terms are not stated.
- Documentation
- Health Ministry import authorisation is nominally required; carry full documentation as the transitional situation is unreliable.
- hri.global
- INCB Estimated World Requirements of Narcotic Drugs for 2026 (April update): 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 Syria
Drug laws and enforcement change and vary within a country. This is not legal advice. Always confirm with Syria’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 →