Is Quetiapine legal in Canada?

Also known as: seroquel

Legal status

Quetiapine is a prescription drug (Prescription Drug List), not a controlled substance: Seroquel, Seroquel XR and generics are authorised by Health Canada in the Drug Product Database and do not appear on any schedule of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.

Consequences if caught

Quetiapine attracts no CDSA penalty; selling this prescription drug without authorisation is a Food and Drugs Act matter, not a controlled-substance trafficking offence. Section 60 of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act lets the Governor in Council by order amend any of Schedules I to IV, VI and IX by adding or deleting an item, if the Governor in Council considers the amendment necessary in the public interest. The consolidation read states on its face that it is current to 21 July 2026. An absence is only ever an absence as at the version read, and this cell does not rule out a later amendment.

If prescribed or medical

Prescribed as an atypical antipsychotic for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder; sedative off-label misuse is documented in correctional settings but does not confer scheduled status.

Documentation

Seroquel and quetiapine generics are listed as prescription products in the Health Canada Drug Product Database; carried lawfully with a prescription.

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