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
- Dispensed as a controlled prescription medicine.
- Documentation
- Health Ministry import authorisation is nominally required; carry full documentation as the transitional situation is unreliable.
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 →