Is Ephedrine legal in Macau?

Legal status

Controlled in Macau as a precursor. Law 17/2009 Table V, item 3, prints «麻黃鹼 / Efedrina». Table V lists precursors, which are governed by Article 9 and its knowledge and purpose elements rather than by the personal use offence. The dossier searched pseudoephedrine alongside ephedrine but quotes only the ephedrine entry. The tables are read as amended through Law 12/2026, in force 18 August 2026. Supply and possession with knowledge of illicit manufacture: Article 9.

Consequences if caught

Capital exposure: none. The dossier records that Law 17/2009 has no death penalty provision in these offences. Article 9(1) sets 2 to 10 years of imprisonment for knowingly supplying the precursor without authorization, and Article 9(2) sets 1 to 8 years for knowingly possessing it, in each case where the person knows it is or will be used for illicit production. Article 10 can raise both bounds by one third. Article 14, the personal use offence, reaches Tables I to IV only. Quantity: there is no Article 14 personal use amount for a Table V precursor. The dossier states the Article 9 supply and possession bands for precursors; it does not set out separate bands for import, export or manufacture of a precursor, so this cell does not give them. The previous version of this cell, citing the Macau anti-drug and Judiciary Police portals, stated that Macau's maximum penalty for any offence is imprisonment capped at 30 years with no life term, and that Macau's criminal law is separate from mainland China's under the Basic Law. Carried forward from the previous cell, not re-read in this pass.

If prescribed or medical

The source this cell rests on, the Macau 88 substance legal dossier of 2 October 2026, does not state a prescription or medical carriage route for ephedrine.

Documentation

The dossier states that a table assignment identifies the statutory route and does not authorize possession, use, transport or trade. It states no traveller permit, import licence or carriage document for ephedrine, and none is given here. The dossier row for this substance carries no URL, so the instrument is cited by name. The dossier's own search for this row: Query: 麻黃鹼; ephedrine; 偽麻黃鹼; pseudoephedrine. Inspected Macau Table I-A/I-B/I-C, II-A/II-B/II-C, III, IV, V and VI by Chinese name, Portuguese name and chemical structure; result: V item 3.

Drug laws and enforcement change and vary within a country. This is not legal advice. Always confirm with Macau’s embassy or official drug authority before traveling; penalties can be severe, including imprisonment.