Can I bring my prescription medication into Morocco, and what about controlled drugs?

For everyday prescription medicines — blood pressure tablets, asthma inhalers, antibiotics, the contraceptive pill, allergy and stomach medication — there is almost never an issue. The two things I tell every guest are: keep them in the original pharmacy packaging with the printed label, and carry them in your hand luggage, not the hold, so you have them if a bag goes astray. That alone covers the vast majority of travellers without a second thought.

Controlled and narcotic-class medications are where you need to be deliberate. Strong opioid painkillers, benzodiazepine sedatives, ADHD stimulants and similar restricted drugs are taken seriously by customs in Morocco as in most countries. For these, carry a copy of your prescription or, better, a short signed letter from your doctor stating the medicine, the dose and that it is for your personal medical use. Bring only the quantity you genuinely need for the trip — arriving with a six-month supply of a controlled drug invites questions.

A couple of practical points from experience. Some medicines that are routine over-the-counter at home can be classed differently in Morocco, so do not assume. Pharmacies in Moroccan cities are excellent, widely stocked and the pharmacists are highly trained — for a minor top-up you can often buy the equivalent locally without a prescription. But for anything you depend on, never rely on buying it there; bring your own supply, properly documented.

My honest summary: original packaging plus a doctor’s letter for anything controlled, hand luggage, sensible quantities. And because controlled-drug rules differ sharply between countries and do change, check the current Moroccan position and your home country’s export and re-entry rules before you fly, especially for narcotics and strong psychiatric medication.