Is Hydrocodone legal in France?
- Legal status
- Hydrocodone is a stupéfiant (narcotic) under the Code de la santé publique (liste I annexe), dispensed on a secure prescription (ordonnance sécurisée); it is not marketed in France but sits in the same stupéfiant strong-opioid tier as morphine and oxycodone — left to confirmation.
- Consequences if caught
- Illicit use or possession up to 1 year plus a fine; unauthorised holding or trafficking up to 10 years.
- If prescribed or medical
- No marketed French hydrocodone product; a stupéfiant opioid is dispensed only on a 28-day secure prescription.
- Documentation
- Within Schengen carry the Article 75 certificate for up to a 30-day supply, authenticated by ANSM or the competent agency.
Drug laws and enforcement change and vary within a country. This is not legal advice. Always confirm with France’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 →