Article 17 of the Saudi Narcotics Law Implementing Regulations
المادة 17 من اللائحة التنفيذية لنظام مكافحة المخدرات والمؤثرات العقلية
The article empowers the Chief Executive Officer of the Saudi Food and Drug Authority, in coordination with the Minister of Health, to approve procedures and controls for selling, delivering and disposing of narcotics in pharmacies and treatment institutions.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يعتمد الرئيس التنفيذي للهيئة العامة للغذاء والدواء - بالتنسيق مع وزير الصحة - إجراءات وضوابط بيع وتسليم المواد المخدرة أو المؤثرات العقلية والتصرف فيها في المنشآت الصيدلية والمؤسسات العلاجية .
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 17 explained in plain English
This article identifies the body competent to set rules for three operations concerning narcotic or psychotropic substances within pharmacy establishments and treatment institutions:
- Sale.
- Delivery.
- Disposing of them in general.
That body is the Chief Executive Officer of the Saudi Food and Drug Authority, who approves the procedures and controls in coordination with the Minister of Health.
The purpose of limiting this power to one body is to unify how these substances are handled in all pharmacies and hospitals, which makes it easier to monitor them and prevent their leakage to purposes other than medical ones.
In practical terms, pharmacies and hospitals do not set their own way of selling or dispensing these substances; they follow what the Authority approves. The article states nothing of the details of these controls, so anyone who needs them refers to what the Authority issues.
The article complements other articles of the Regulations, such as Article 16 on the data of the periodic register and Article 20, which sets the conditions for the medical prescription. Pharmacies and establishments that need to verify their compliance can consult a lawyer specialized in commercial cases.
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 17 of the Saudi Narcotics Law Implementing Regulations
Who sets the controls for selling narcotic medicines in pharmacies?
The Chief Executive Officer of the Saudi Food and Drug Authority approves them in coordination with the Minister of Health.
Do the controls include hospitals?
Yes, they include pharmacy establishments and treatment institutions.
More articles on Prescriptions for Narcotic Medicines
- Article 20
The article sets the conditions for the prescription for restricted medicines, its mandatory data and validity period, the Minister of Health's power to amend them, and verifying modern prescription-writing technologies.
1 - شروط الوصفة الطبية هي: أ - يجب أن تحتوي الوصفة على دواء واحد فقط . ب- تتكون الوصفة من أصل مكتوب في أعلاه بخط أحمر (مادة مقيدة) وصورتين مكتوب عليهما (غير قاب
- Article 21
The article sets the retention of the original prescription at three years and the prescription register at five years, and how they are destroyed after the period by a committee and a report.
1- يحفظ أصل الوصفة لمدة ثلاث سنوات . 2- يجب على كل صيدلية الاحتفاظ بسجل خاص بالوصفات لمدة خمس سنوات. 3- يتم إتلاف الوصفة وسجل الوصفات بعد انقضاء المدة المحددة ل
- Article 23
The article empowers the Minister of Health, in coordination with the Chief Executive Officer of the Saudi Food and Drug Authority, to approve controls for prescribing and dispensing narcotic medicines in treatment institutions and controls for verifying compliance with them.
1- يعتمد وزير الصحة - بالتنسيق مع الرئيس التنفيذي للهيئة العامة للغذاء والدواء - إجراءات وضوابط وصف وصرف الأدوية المخدرة أو المؤثرات العقلية في المؤسسات العلاجي
- Article 26
The article empowers the Minister of Health to issue controls and instructions on returning medicines containing narcotic or psychotropic substances and disposing of them, including those dispensed from government and private treatment institutions.
يصدر وزير الصحة الضوابط والتعليمات المتعلقة بإعادة الأدوية المحتوية على مواد مخدرة أو مؤثرات عقلية وكيفية التصرف فيها، بما فيها الأدوية المخدرة والمؤثرات العقلي
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.