Saudi Arabia updates lists of banned substances and controlled drugs, including plants and widely used medicines

Saudi Arabia has approved sweeping updates to its lists of banned substances and controlled drugs, tightening the rules around materials that can affect public health and society.

The changes, adopted by a joint committee from the Ministry of Health and the Saudi Food and Drug Authority, divide narcotic and psychotropic substances into detailed categories aligned with international conventions. The rules impose full controls on substances listed in the “yellow list” and “green list.”

The most dangerous categories may not be imported or traded except for research and scientific purposes, and then only with a special permit. The updated rules also cover familiar medicines, including codeine, tramadol and pregabalin, setting controls for their distribution and requiring approved medical prescriptions.

The regulation also settles the treatment of certain derivative compounds. It introduces a blanket ban on bringing in or possessing cannabidiol, or CBD, extracted from herbal sources. The only exception applies to products manufactured entirely through chemical processes and completely free of hallucinogenic ingredients such as THC, supported by laboratory reports.