Is Codeine legal in United Kingdom?
- Legal status
- Codeine is a Class B controlled drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971; low-dose combination products (e.g. co-codamol 8/500, up to 12.8 mg codeine per unit) are Pharmacy-only (P) medicines sold without a prescription, while higher-strength codeine is Prescription-Only. The MHRA imposed a 3-day maximum-use warning and a 32-tablet pack cap in 2009, and a 2019 review kept low-dose codeine at Pharmacy (P) rather than up-scheduling it to prescription.
- Consequences if caught
- Unauthorised possession of codeine outside a licensed medicine can carry up to 5 years (Class B); supply or production up to 14 years plus an unlimited fine. Lawful pharmacy sale and prescribed use are legal.
- If prescribed or medical
- Low-dose combinations are sold over the pharmacy counter under pharmacist supervision; higher-strength codeine is prescribed as a Class B controlled medicine (low-dose combinations fall in Schedule 5 of the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001).
- Documentation
- Codeine is legal to carry as a reasonable personal supply in original packaging; a copy of the prescription is advisable for higher-strength products. No traveller trap for the UK.
Court records
We have applied to The National Archives for the licence required to analyse Find Case Law records, and will publish outcomes once it is determined.
Source checked Find Case Law, The National Archives · 2026-08-26
Codeine in related jurisdictions
Other substances confirmed in United Kingdom
Drug laws and enforcement change and vary within a country. This is not legal advice. Always confirm with United Kingdom’s embassy or official drug authority before traveling; penalties can be severe, including imprisonment.
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