In short. Indonesia takes a hard line on drugs, and this applies to foreigners the same as to locals: law No. 35 of 2009 divides substances into three groups, and the first includes cannabis with all its products, including hashish, THC and CBD, and the psilocybin of mushrooms; from 2 January 2026 the penalties were revised by the new Criminal Code and law No. 1 of 2026. BNN has the right to take urine, blood and hair tests. If you are detained: stay calm, no money to officers, ask at once to contact your consulate, a lawyer and an interpreter, and sign nothing without a translation. Bring medicines with psychotropics with a prescription, in the factory packaging and for no more than 60 days; narcotic painkillers may not be brought in.
The main rule. Indonesia takes a hard line on drugs, and this applies to foreigners the same as to locals. Importing and exporting narcotic and psychotropic substances without permission is banned. Not knowing the law does not remove responsibility.
What the law says. The basis is law No. 35 of 2009 on narcotics (Undang-Undang tentang Narkotika). It divides substances into three groups (golongan). The strictest, the first, is listed in the annex to the law. According to the text of the 2009 law, for possession and growing plants such as cannabis, article 111 gives prison from 4 to 12 years and a fine from 800 million to 8 billion rupiah. For sale, brokering and handing over, article 114 provides from 5 to 20 years in prison or life, and for a large quantity of the substance it allows the death penalty. For a user of a first-group substance article 127 provides up to 4 years, and if the court recognises the person as dependent, rehabilitation is possible.
The law is changing. Since 2 January 2026 a new Criminal Code has applied in Indonesia, and law No. 1 of 2026 on the adjustment of penalties revised some of the articles of the drug law. According to articles by judges on the Indonesian Supreme Court portals (28 January 2026) and Dandapala (9 January 2026), special minimum limits on penalties were removed for some articles, and possession is now also considered under the new code. This is the assessment of specialists and does not replace an official table of penalties. The exact terms depend on the article and the circumstances, so treat any possession and any sale as grounds for a prison term of years.
Cannabis, CBD and mushrooms. In the annex to the law the first group includes the cannabis plant, its seeds, fruits and all products of processing, including resin and hashish, as well as THC and psilocybin, the active substance of "magic" mushrooms. We found no separate exception for oils and products with CBD in this list, and such products are made from cannabis. Do not buy or bring them, even if they are sold freely in your country. In Bali you may be offered mushrooms, "weed" or pills on a beach, at a party, from a passing bike. Cases of banned substances being planted on foreigners are known, so do not take unknown substances and packages from random people and do not agree to carry someone else's things.
Testing on detention. The law gives the National Narcotics Agency BNN the right to carry out urine, blood, hair and DNA tests (article 75). If you are detained on suspicion of drugs, be ready to be sent for such a test. Stay calm and do not argue with the officers.
What to do if you are detained.
- Stay calm, do not resist and do not offer money to the officers.
- Say at once that you are a foreign citizen and ask them to contact your embassy or consulate. Under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations (article 36), a detained person must be told without delay of the right to notify the consulate, and consular staff have the right to meet the detained person.
- Contact your embassy or consulate using the emergency numbers on its official website, and save them in your phone in advance.
- Ask for a lawyer and an interpreter.
- A practical tip from us: do not sign reports in a language you do not understand until they are translated. We did not check the norms of the law on this, so it is our practical advice.
A police stop without a drug accusation is described in a separate guide.
Medicines with psychotropic ingredients. Some ordinary prescription drugs contain substances from the psychotropic lists: strong sedatives, sleeping pills, ADHD drugs, some painkillers. According to the FAQ of BPOM (Badan Pengawas Obat dan Makanan, the agency for drug and food supervision) as of October 2026, foreigners may bring psychotropics in their luggage with a doctor's prescription, for no more than 60 days of use, and with a declaration at customs. Drugs from the narcotics group may not be brought in. Medicines should come with the leaflet showing the composition and a prescription. What exactly to take with you and how to fill in the declaration is covered in the guide to customs. If you doubt whether your medicine is on the lists, ask BPOM: WhatsApp 0812-1298-7545, email [email protected].
What this means for you. Do not buy, try or carry anything from the banned list, including cannabis, CBD and mushrooms, and do not take parcels from random people. If you bring medicines with psychotropics, take a prescription, the original packaging and a supply for no more than 60 days, and fill in the declaration. Save the numbers of your embassy and consulate in your phone before you need them. If detained, speak briefly, ask for your consulate and an interpreter and sign nothing blindly.