Is Crack Cocaine legal in India?
- Legal status
- Crack is the freebase (base) form of cocaine and has no separate legal identity in India: it is controlled AS cocaine under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act 1985 (NDPS), whose 'cocaine' definition covers the alkaloid, its salts, preparations and all forms, thereby reaching the base/freebase form. Crack is a controlled narcotic on the same terms as cocaine, with quantity-graded penalties.
- Consequences if caught
- Possession, sale and trafficking of crack (as cocaine) are criminal under the NDPS Act (Secs 15-27), with penalties graded by small/commercial quantity and stringent bail limits (Sec 37).
- If prescribed or medical
- Cocaine has only narrow controlled medical use; the crack/freebase base has no medicinal preparation and cannot be prescribed.
- Documentation
- No prescription documentation exists for crack/freebase cocaine.
Drug laws and enforcement change and vary within a country. This is not legal advice. Always confirm with India’s embassy or official drug authority before traveling; penalties can be severe, including imprisonment.
Before you travel
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If you’re detained or arrested abroad
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