The Law at Home and Abroad

Before anything else, know the law where you live and where you study. The UAE's drug laws are among the strictest in the world, and other countries have their own rules on age, possession and sharing.

The UAE: drugs

• The UAE's Law on Combating Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances was amended by a Federal Decree-Law announced in December 2025.
• Under the amendment, foreign nationals convicted of narcotics offences must be deported after their sentence, except in two narrow family situations decided by the court.
• Pharmacies that dispense narcotic or psychotropic medicines without a valid prescription, and doctors who prescribe them without a licence or medical justification, face at least five years in prison and a fine of at least AED 50,000.
• The amendment also allows health authorities and private facilities to set up specialised units for treating and rehabilitating people addicted to narcotic drugs, which shows the law treats addiction as a health issue as well as a crime.
• The UAE also has specific rules for non-resident foreigners arrested at UAE ports carrying narcotics (Cabinet Resolution No. 43 of 2024), so travellers are covered too.
• Practical rule: never carry, hold, buy, share or take any illegal drug in the UAE, and never carry a bag or parcel for someone else through an airport.

The UAE: alcohol and gambling

• Alcohol in the UAE is regulated at emirate level, with different licensing rules in different emirates, as reported by Gulf News. Check the official rules of the emirate you are in.
• Commercial gaming (lottery, online gaming, sports betting and gaming venues) is regulated by the federal General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA).
• The GCGRA states that running or facilitating gaming without its licence is illegal, and that people who play through unlicensed operators, online or in person, may also face penalties.
• This means betting apps and websites that are not licensed by the GCGRA are not a safe or legal option in the UAE.

The UK: drugs

• The UK sorts illegal drugs into Class A, B and C. Class A includes cocaine, ecstasy (MDMA) and heroin; Class B includes cannabis, ketamine, amphetamines and Ritalin (methylphenidate); Class C includes benzodiazepines, anabolic steroids and nitrous oxide.
• Maximum penalties for possession are 7 years (Class A), 5 years (Class B) and 2 years (Class C), with an unlimited fine possible (GOV.UK notes personal possession of anabolic steroids is not an offence).
• Supply and production carry up to life (Class A) or 14 years (Classes B and C).
• GOV.UK says supplying includes to 'sell, deal or share' drugs, so giving some to a friend can be treated as supply, with the higher penalties.

The UK and US: alcohol and age

• In the UK it is illegal for anyone under 18 to buy or try to buy alcohol, and for an adult to buy it for them.
• In the UK, under-18s can be stopped, fined or arrested by police for drinking alcohol in public.
• In the US, the CDC treats everyone under 21 as underage for drinking, and reports that alcohol is the most common drug used by people younger than 21 there.
• Other countries have their own ages and rules; check the official government site before you travel.

Staying on the right side of the law

• Do not hold anything for anyone, and do not let anyone use your room, car or bag to store things.
• If drugs are being used at a party, you can leave. Leaving is always an option.
• Only take medicines prescribed to you, keep them in their original labelled packaging, and check the rules for bringing medicines into the UAE (see the Getting Around module).
• If you are ever questioned by police, stay calm and polite, and ask to contact your family, your embassy or a lawyer.