Article 26 of the Saudi Narcotics Law Implementing Regulations
المادة 26 من اللائحة التنفيذية لنظام مكافحة المخدرات والمؤثرات العقلية
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.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يصدر وزير الصحة الضوابط والتعليمات المتعلقة بإعادة الأدوية المحتوية على مواد مخدرة أو مؤثرات عقلية وكيفية التصرف فيها، بما فيها الأدوية المخدرة والمؤثرات العقلية التي تصرف من مؤسسة علاجية حكومية أو خاصة .
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 26 explained in plain English
This article addresses a practical question facing patients and establishments: what happens to medicines containing narcotic or psychotropic substances after they are dispensed, if they need to be returned or disposed of?
The article sets no direct rules; it gives the Minister of Health the power to issue the controls and instructions on:
- Returning these medicines.
- How to dispose of them.
It states expressly that this includes medicines dispensed from a government or private treatment institution, so there is no difference between the two sectors in being subject to these controls.
In practical terms, someone who has medicines of this kind they no longer need, or an establishment receiving returned medicines, refers to what the Minister of Health issues to know the correct way to return or dispose of them. The article does not state the content of these controls, so their details should not be assumed. Anyone with a question about a particular situation can consult a lawyer specialized in commercial or criminal cases, as the situation requires.
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 26 of the Saudi Narcotics Law Implementing Regulations
Who determines how narcotic medicines are returned after dispensing?
The Minister of Health, who issues the controls and instructions on returning them and how to dispose of them.
Do the controls include medicines dispensed from private hospitals?
Yes, they include medicines dispensed from a government or private treatment institution.
More articles on Prescriptions for Narcotic Medicines
- Article 17
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.
يعتمد الرئيس التنفيذي للهيئة العامة للغذاء والدواء - بالتنسيق مع وزير الصحة - إجراءات وضوابط بيع وتسليم المواد المخدرة أو المؤثرات العقلية والتصرف فيها في المنش
- 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
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.