Is Pregabalin legal in France?
- Legal status
- Pregabalin (Lyrica et génériques) is a Liste I prescription medicine that, since 24 May 2021, must partly follow the narcotics regime — dispensed only on a secure prescription form (ordonnance sécurisée) with a 6-month maximum — a tighter control than gabapentin, which remains an ordinary Liste I prescription in France.
- Consequences if caught
- Illicit use, supply or diversion is an offence under the Public Health Code; trafficking carries multi-year prison terms.
- If prescribed or medical
- Prescribed as a Liste I gabapentinoid on a secure prescription form (ordonnance sécurisée), maximum 6 months per prescription.
- Documentation
- Carry the secure prescription with a personal supply; a transport attestation may apply beyond roughly a 3-month supply.
Drug laws and enforcement change and vary within a country. This is not legal advice. Always confirm with France’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 →