Is Salvia divinorum legal in Australia?
- Legal status
- Controlled. NAMED: Salvia divinorum and salvinorin A are listed in Schedule 9 (Prohibited Substances) of the Poisons Standard (SUSMP), the most restrictive category; salvia has been prohibited nationally since the early 2000s and remains Schedule 9 in the current Standard, with matching controls in state/territory drug laws. Mechanism: NAMED (plant + salvinorin A).
- Consequences if caught
- Schedule 9 prohibits manufacture, possession, sale and use of salvia except for approved research; import, supply and possession are offences under state/territory drug laws.
- If prescribed or medical
- Schedule 9 status means salvia divinorum and salvinorin A have no ordinary prescription route; use is confined to authorised medical or scientific research.
- Documentation
- No lawful personal-import route; salvia leaf/extract is a prohibited import seized at the border.
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 →