Article 30 of the Saudi Narcotics Law Implementing Regulations
المادة 30 من اللائحة التنفيذية لنظام مكافحة المخدرات والمؤثرات العقلية
The article provides that a drug user or consumer who is sentenced to imprisonment as a discretionary penalty may not receive more than the maximum set in paragraph (1) of Article 41 of the Law.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
إذا رأى القاضي تعزير المتعاطي أو المستعمل للمواد المخدرة أو المؤثرات العقلية بالسجن ، فلا تتجاوز العقوبة الحد الأعلى المنصوص عليه في الفقرة (1) من المادة (الحادية والأربعين) من نظام مكافحة المخدرات والمؤثرات العقلية .
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 30 explained in plain English
This article sets a ceiling on the discretionary (ta'zir) prison sentence for a person who uses or consumes narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances.
The rule: if the judge decides to impose a prison sentence as a discretionary penalty on a user or consumer, the sentence may not exceed the maximum stated in paragraph (1) of Article 41 of the Law of Combating Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances.
Two points follow from the wording:
- Imprisonment is not inevitable in this case. The article begins with the phrase "if the judge sees fit", so choosing imprisonment as a discretionary penalty is left to the judge's discretion.
- If the judge does choose imprisonment, his authority is limited by the maximum in the Law, which he may not exceed.
The text shown does not give the amount of this maximum, because it appears in Article 41 of the Law and not in this article, so that article must be consulted to find it. Anyone facing a drug use case is well advised to consult a lawyer who specializes in criminal 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 30 of the Saudi Narcotics Law Implementing Regulations
Is a drug user necessarily sent to prison?
The article applies where the judge "sees fit" to impose a discretionary penalty of imprisonment, so imprisonment here is at the judge's discretion.
What is the maximum prison term for a user?
It may not exceed the maximum stated in paragraph 1 of Article 41 of the Law of Combating Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances.
More articles on Charges and Aggravating Circumstances
- Article 28
The article provides for relying on the provisions that preceded the Law in charging offenses under items 5 and 6 of paragraph first of Article 37, and requires the judgment to specify the criminal description and the substance.
1- يستند إلى الأحكام السابقة قبل صدور نظام مكافحة المخدرات والمؤثرات العقلية في توجيه الاتهام وإقامة الدعوى العامة بارتكاب الجرائم المنصوص عليها في الفقرتين (5
- Article 29
The article defines the scope of places that carry aggravated punishment in drug offenses: mosque facilities, the sanctity of the Two Holy Mosques, educational and training areas and their surroundings, and correctional institutions.
1- يلحق بالمسجد المرافق الخدمية التابعة له . 2 - يراعى في التشديد حرمة الحرمين الشريفين وقدسيتهما . 3 - يشمل التشديد جميع الأماكن المعدة للتعليم أو التدريب، وال
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.