Is Heroin legal in Vietnam?

Legal status

Schedule I narcotic under Vietnam's Penal Code / Law 73/2021 — prohibited; DEATH PENALTY for trafficking

Consequences if caught

VIETNAM RETAINS THE DEATH PENALTY for drug trafficking, manufacture and transport (Arts 248/250/251): it applies at ≥100 g of heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, amphetamine or MDMA; ≥5 kg of cannabis resin/coca glue; ≥75 kg of cannabis leaves/roots/flowers/seeds; ≥600 g of dried opium-poppy fruit; or ≥300 g of other solid narcotics. Heroin is Schedule I; the death-penalty threshold for trafficking is ≥100 g. Possession (Art 249) carries 2 years to life by weight. Use is an administrative matter (2021 Law + Decree 144/2021): a fine of VND 1–2 million plus deportation for foreigners. [reported — verify] A 2025 Penal Code amendment is reported to have REMOVED the death penalty for the possession offence (Art 249) regardless of quantity — trafficking/manufacture/transport still carry it — and to criminalise drug use during or after compulsory rehabilitation (2–5 years); confirm against the current statute.

If prescribed or medical

Not a prescribed traveller medicine; a prohibited Schedule I narcotic.

Documentation

There is NO medical cannabis and no traveller exemption — cannabis import/export is prohibited. For other prescribed controlled medicines, carry a valid prescription and declare them on arrival. Foreigners receive no leniency: deportation plus a 3-year re-entry ban is common.

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