Is Methaqualone (Quaaludes) legal in Australia?
- Legal status
- Methaqualone is a Schedule 9 (Prohibited Substance) in the Poisons Standard (SUSMP) — substances with no accepted medical use, permitted only for research under permit — and is a border-controlled drug; this reflects the strictest tier for its 1971 Convention Schedule II status.
- Consequences if caught
- Possession, supply, manufacture and import without a permit are prohibited; State and Territory drug laws impose serious penalties.
- If prescribed or medical
- No recognised medical use / withdrawn — Schedule 9 bars therapeutic use, so methaqualone cannot be prescribed.
- Documentation
- No medical or traveller route; import is licensable only for approved research purposes.
Drug laws and enforcement change and vary within a country. This is not legal advice. Always confirm with Australia’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 →