Regulation of possession of psychotropic substances on board aircraft and ships

Abdulkarim Abdullah: Minister of Health Dr. Ahmed Al-Awadi issued Ministerial Decision No. 290 of 2026 regarding the regulation of the possession and dispensing of psychotropic preparations for pilots of international commercial aircraft and ships registered in Kuwait and foreign vessels. The decision was published in the official gazette, “Kuwait Today,” on August 30, 2026.

This move reflects the Ministry’s desire to establish controls governing the regulation, possession, and dispensing of psychotropic substances aboard local transport and incoming foreign vessels for first aid and emergency purposes. Article One of the decision authorized pilots of international commercial aircraft and ships registered in Kuwait to possess a specified quantity of psychotropic substances or preparations listed in Tables 2, 3, and 4 of Group Two attached to Law Decree No. 159 of 2025, for the purpose of first aid and emergencies aboard these means of transport.

Article Two stipulated that entities responsible for pilots of international commercial aircraft and ships registered in Kuwait must submit estimates of their needs for psychotropic preparations for first aid purposes to the Drug and Psychotropic Substances and Preparations Licensing Control Department at the Ministry of Health. These submissions must include the following, with all documents being valid: licenses specific to the entity responsible for pilots of international commercial aircraft and ships registered in Kuwait; data pertaining to the pilots; names, types, and quantities of the requested preparations, along with a statement of their intended use; and a declaration indicating whether any crew member is licensed to practice medicine, pharmacy, or one of their auxiliary professions.

Furthermore, Article Three of the decision mandated that preparations be stored in a securely locked special cabinet in a safe place. The pilot of the aircraft or ship must personally hold the cabinet keys and be responsible for the custody of these substances. The decision also obliged pilots of transport means to record substances in their custody in a special register for the dispensing and possession of these preparations. This register must be kept for three years from the date of the last entry and must include the name, concentration, and pharmaceutical form of the preparation; the quantity received, dispensed, and remaining; the date of dispensing; data on the patient receiving treatment; and the name and signature of the person who administered the medication. It is a condition that these preparations be in the form of single-use injections and that their use be restricted to the interior of the transport vehicle.

The decision also stipulated that preparations be dispensed from the Medical Warehouses Administration under the Ministry of Health, following approval by the Drug and Psychotropic Substances and Preparations Licensing Control Department. Empty, expired, or unused injection containers must be returned or replaced upon request submitted to the Control Department. In the event that a possession request is canceled for any reason, the preparations, whether full or empty, must be returned to the Medical Warehouses Administration after obtaining approval from the Control Department.

The decision set the validity period of the possession license at only one year from the date of issuance, requiring the license holder to apply for renewal before the expiration date. It granted the Control Department the authority to reduce requested quantities or reject them entirely. In case of loss or breakage of any container, an initial investigation into the incident must be conducted, and the authorities of the port of entry must be notified immediately upon arrival to verify the incident. Documentation confirming the report of the lost or broken container must be provided when requesting a replacement quantity.

The decision exempted these substances and preparations from the import and export provisions stipulated in Law Decree No. 159 of 2025. It also authorized Ministry of Health employees designated by the Minister to verify the implementation of the provisions of the Law Decree and its implementing decisions. The decision takes effect from the date of its issuance, and all decisions or provisions conflicting with its terms are hereby repealed.