Is MDMA legal in Saudi Arabia?
- Legal status
- Prohibited psychotropic under Royal Decree M/39 (2005), Schedule 2 (psychotropic substances), Category A — a prohibited category (banned except SFDA-approved research), corresponding to the 1971 Convention Schedule I. Capital exposure attaches to smuggling or trafficking-with-intent-to-promote under Article 37; no MDMA-specific capital case is documented, so drug-specific capital application is left to confirmation.
- Consequences if caught
- Unauthorised possession/use prosecuted under M/39 (imprisonment, fines, deportation for non-nationals). Smuggling or possession-with-intent-to-promote is death-eligible under Art. 37, reducible to not less than 15 years plus flogging and fine.
- If prescribed or medical
- No prescription channel; MDMA is a prohibited-category psychotropic with no recognised medical use in Saudi Arabia and is not a traveller-importable medicine.
- Documentation
- Royal Decree M/39 (2005), Schedule 2 psychotropic substances (Category A prohibited = 1971 Convention Schedule I), per SFDA General Provisions for the Schedules; Art. 37 penalties.
Drug laws and enforcement change and vary within a country. This is not legal advice. Always confirm with Saudi Arabia’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 →