Is Methaqualone (Quaaludes) legal in India?
- Legal status
- Methaqualone (Mandrax) is a psychotropic substance listed in the Schedule to the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act 1985 — the named transposition of its 1971 Convention Schedule II status; its manufacture is banned, and India is a historic source of illicit 'Mandrax' trafficked to southern and eastern Africa.
- Consequences if caught
- Quantity-graded penalties under the NDPS Act — small quantities draw shorter terms, while commercial quantities carry 10-20 years and heavy fines.
- If prescribed or medical
- No recognised medical use / withdrawn — methaqualone is not a licensed medicine in India.
- Documentation
- No medical or traveller route; there is no lawful prescription or import pathway.
Drug laws and enforcement change and vary within a country. This is not legal advice. Always confirm with India’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 →