Article 15 of the Saudi Anti-Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances Law
المادة 15 من نظام مكافحة المخدرات والمؤثرات العقلية
The article gives the Ministry of Health the power to review the quantity requested for import or export of narcotic substances and to approve, amend or reject it according to the Regulations.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
لوزارة الصحة مراجعة الكمية المطلوب استيرادها أو تصديرها للموافقة عليها أو تعديلها أو رفضها وفق الضوابط التي تحددها اللائحة .
This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers
Article 15 explained in plain English
It is not enough for an establishment to obtain an import or export license in order to import any quantity it wants. This article gives the Ministry of Health the power to review the quantity requested for import or export of narcotic or psychotropic substances, and after the review it may make one of three decisions:
- Approve the quantity as requested.
- Amend it, by increasing or decreasing it.
- Reject it.
The Ministry does not take this decision without controls, but according to the controls set by the Implementing Regulations. The text does not state these controls, so the Regulations must be consulted for them, and the quantity allowed or the criteria for assessing it cannot be inferred from the Law alone.
The purpose of this power is clear from the context of the Law: to keep the quantities in circulation of these substances within legitimate need, so that none accumulates that might leak into illicit use. This article works together with Article Fourteen, which requires tightly sealed parcels and a detailed statement, and Article Sixteen, which prevents customs from releasing these substances except with a release license from the Ministry. Anyone facing a decision amending or rejecting a quantity would do well to consult a lawyer specialized in administrative cases.
Practical example
A wholesale drug warehouse in Riyadh asked to import a large quantity of a medicine containing a psychotropic substance. The Ministry of Health reviewed the request according to the controls of the Regulations and approved only part of the quantity, that is, it amended it, so the warehouse is bound by the approved quantity.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
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Frequently asked questions about Article 15 of the Saudi Anti-Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances Law
May the Ministry of Health reject the quantity requested for import?
Yes. The Ministry may review the quantity and approve, amend or reject it according to the controls of the Regulations.
What controls does the Ministry rely on in assessing the quantity?
The text does not specify them; it refers them to the Implementing Regulations of the Law.
More articles on Licensing Narcotics for Medical Purposes
- Article 2
The article excludes emergency and first-aid medicines containing narcotic substances carried on ships and aircraft from importation, exportation and smuggling, on specific conditions.
لا يعد جلبا أو تصديرا أو تهريبا الكميات المحددة من الأدوية الطبية التي تحتوي على مواد مخدرة أو مؤثرات عقلية تحملها وسائط النقل، كالسفن والطائرات، لمواجهة الحالا
- Article 12
The article requires a one-year renewable license from the Ministry of Health to import or export narcotic or psychotropic substances for legitimate purposes.
لا يجوز استيراد المواد المخدرة أو المؤثرات العقلية أو تصديرها لأغراض مشروعة إلا بموجب رخصة استيراد أو تصدير صادرة من وزارة الصحة. وتمنح الرخصة لمدة سنة قابلة لل
- Article 13
The article limits granting a license to import or export narcotic or psychotropic substances to five categories of pharmaceutical, treatment and research establishments.
يقصر منح رخصة استيراد المواد المخدرة أو المؤثرات العقلية أو تصديرها على المنشآت الآتية: 1 - شركات الأدوية ووكلائها. 2 - مستودعات بيع الأدوية بالجملة. 3 - المؤسس
- Article 14
The article requires narcotic or psychotropic substances to be imported or exported in tightly sealed parcels with a detailed statement, with no other substance in the parcel.
لا يجوز استيراد مواد مخدرة أو مؤثرات عقلية أو تصديرها إلا داخل طرود محكمة الإغلاق، مع بيان يحدد اسم المادة وكميتها وتركيزها وشكلها الصيدلاني حتى لو كانت عينة. و
- Article 16
The article bars releasing narcotic or psychotropic substances arriving at customs except under a release license from the Ministry of Health, which is returned to it after the release.
لا يجوز تسليم المواد المخدرة أو المؤثرات العقلية التي تصل إلى الجمارك إلا بموجب رخصة فسح صادرة من وزارة الصحة، على أن تعاد هذه الرخصة إليها بعد انتهاء الفسح.
- Article 17
The article lets the Minister of Interior license government bodies, institutes and research centers to import and cultivate seeds of the plants in Table (4) for medical and research purposes, according to the Regulations.
لوزير الداخلية الترخيص للمصالح والإدارات الحكومية والمعاهد ومراكز البحث العلمي باستيراد وزراعة بذور النباتات المدرجة في الجدول رقم (4) المرافق لهذا النظام للأغر
The texts are reproduced from the official website of the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers for reference; where they differ, the officially published Arabic text prevails. This content is not legal advice.