Is Lorazepam legal in Falkland Islands (UK)?

Legal status

Class C controlled drug in the Falkland Islands. Part 3 of the Schedule to the Misuse of Drugs Ordinance 1987 names «Lorazepam»; importing it for one's own use, and possessing it as a medicine, are excepted from the Misuse of Drugs offences by the Misuse of Drugs Regulations Order 1997, but supplying it is an offence.

Consequences if caught

Part 3, paragraph 1(a) of the Schedule, headed «CLASS C DRUGS», lists «Lorazepam» among the benzodiazepines, and paragraphs 2 to 4 add its stereoisomers, salts and preparations. It is listed between «Loprazolam» and «Lormetazepam». Lorazepam held as a medicinal product, tablets or injection, falls within the Schedule 4 possession exception, and the penalties below bite on supply, on possession with intent to supply, and on possession other than in a medicinal product. Penalties under the Ordinance for a Class C drug in Schedule 4 to the 1997 Regulations Order: importing or exporting it is not a Misuse of Drugs offence, because regulation 4(1) switches section 3(1) off for Schedule 4 drugs, so the Misuse of Drugs import prohibition does not apply to it. Separately, the Customs (Import of Medicines) Proclamation 1994 prohibits importing any medicine «for the purpose of the retail sale within the Falkland Islands of that medicine» unless the importation «has been authorised in writing by the Chief Medical Officer»; it does not apply to medicines imported for a person's own use. Importing a medicine for retail sale in breach of that Proclamation, with intent to evade it, can be charged under section 43(3) of the Customs Ordinance 2003, which section 43(4) punishes with a fine of up to level 12, £625,000, or up to 7 years' imprisonment. Producing or supplying it or offering to supply it (section 4), possessing it with intent to supply (section 5(2)) and permitting production or supply on premises one occupies (section 8) each carry up to 5 years' imprisonment and a fine at level 6; possessing it other than in a medicinal product (section 5(1)) carries up to 2 years and a fine at level 4. Section 17 gives an attempt or incitement the same punishment as the offence. Schedule 8 to the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Ordinance 2014 sets level 10 on the standard scale at £125,000, level 8 at £25,000, level 6 at £10,000 and level 4 at £2,000. Section 480(4) of that Ordinance makes a penalty printed at the foot of a section the maximum, and where it joins penalties with the word and they «may be inflicted alternatively or cumulatively». This is stated as at the legislation.gov.fk consolidation of the Ordinance in force from 10 April 2019, whose Schedule is the one substituted by S.R. & O. 20/2014 with effect from 23 December 2014. Section 2(4) lets the Governor by Order add a substance to, or remove one from, Parts 1 to 3 of the Schedule. No Misuse of Drugs Order appears in the Gazette indexes for 2023, 2024 or 2025 or in Supplements 1 to 16 of 2026, and the portal's title search for misuse returns only the Ordinance, the 1989 Designation and Regulations Orders, the 1997 Regulations Order and two 2022 instruments, neither of which amends the Schedule. This does not rule out a later Order.

If prescribed or medical

Lorazepam is in Schedule 4 to the Misuse of Drugs Regulations Order 1997. Regulation 4(1) provides that section 3(1) of the Ordinance «shall not have effect in relation to the drugs specified in Schedules 4 and 5», and regulation 4(2)(a) that section 5(1) shall not have effect in relation to «any drug specified in Schedule 4 which is contained in a medicinal product». So importing lorazepam for one's own use and possessing it as a medicine are not Misuse of Drugs offences, with or without a prescription, while importing it for retail sale needs the Chief Medical Officer's written authorisation under the Customs (Import of Medicines) Proclamation 1994; supplying it to another person remains an offence under section 4 unless one of the regulation 9 exceptions for practitioners, pharmacists and hospitals applies. Regulation 2 of the 1997 Regulations Order gives medicinal product «the same meaning as in the Medicines Act 1968»; whether an illicitly made tablet meets that definition was not settled in this run.

Documentation

The controlling law for lorazepam in the Falkland Islands is the territory's own Misuse of Drugs Ordinance 1987 and the instruments made under it, read on legislation.gov.fk, the Falkland Islands Government statute database.

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