Is Khat legal in Tanzania?
- Legal status
- Controlled by name. The First Schedule of the Drug Control and Enforcement Act Cap 95 R.E. 2023 carries the entry «khat plant», so khat is a scheduled substance under that Act.
- Consequences if caught
- Capital exposure: none. The dossier records that no death penalty is stated in Cap 95. Under section 15 life imprisonment is mandatory for trafficking more than 100 kg of cannabis or khat, and section 16 sets at least 30 years below that threshold, as the dossier's penalty summary records. The record this cell rests on states no separate band for import, export, sale or manufacture, and none is given here.
- If prescribed or medical
- The source this cell rests on, the Cap 95 First Schedule as quoted in the dossier, does not state a prescription route for khat.
- Documentation
- The dossier row was checked on 20 September 2026 against the official 2023 Revised Edition at the Office of the Solicitor General eLibrary, quoting the entry «khat plant» and citing sections 14 to 16. Section 14(2) lets the Minister amend the First Schedule by notice in the Gazette, and the dossier records that the 2023 Revised Edition does not certify that no later Gazette notice exists. The record does not state a traveller permit or import document rule for khat.
- Drug Control and Enforcement Act Cap 95 R.E. 2023, First Schedule and sections 14 to 16
- elibrary.osg.go.tz
Court records
We have not yet assessed whether court records are publicly available for this jurisdiction.
Other substances confirmed in Tanzania
Drug laws and enforcement change and vary within a country. This is not legal advice. Always confirm with Tanzania’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 →