What is facilitation?
Article 48 of the Federal Decree-Law No. 30 of 2021 (Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances) punishes anyone who calls to or incites another to commit the personal use offences in Articles 41 to 44, or facilitates them in any manner, with imprisonment of not less than five years and a fine of not less than AED 50,000.
Acts that violate the pharmacy and prescription rules in Articles 34 and 40(1) are deemed facilitation. It is an aggravating circumstance if committed in public gatherings, educational or cultural or sports institutions, places of worship, detention facilities, or against a female, a child, a person with mental illness or someone apparently intoxicated, or deliberately by a physician or pharmacist.
What about drugging or forcing someone?
Putting narcotics in another person's drink or food, or causing them to use them without knowing, is punished by imprisonment of up to five years and a fine of not less than AED 20,000, and not less than ten years if done to commit a crime against the victim or make them addicted (Article 50).
Forcing another to use narcotics is punished by imprisonment of not less than ten years (Article 51). Causing death in these cases carries life imprisonment or the death penalty (Articles 49 to 51).
How does this differ from trafficking?
Facilitation and incitement concern helping someone else to use drugs. Trafficking and promotion concern supply, with the penalties in Articles 57 and 58, and the death penalty or life imprisonment where the intent is trafficking or promotion.
Prosecutors often charge both, so the characterisation of the facts is a major part of the defence.
What defences exist?
That you did not call to, incite or facilitate, that you were not aware of the use, that you were a user rather than a supplier, or that the evidence of your role is weak.
Messages, call data and payments are the usual evidence. Preserve them and do not delete.
What should I do first?
Preserve phones, chats and payments
They decide the role.
Do not contact co-accused
It can be treated as interference.
Do not admit supplying
Wait for advice.
Call us before any interview
Immediately.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the penalty for facilitating drug use?
Imprisonment of not less than five years and a fine of not less than AED 50,000 (Article 48).
Is spiking a drink a separate offence?
Yes. Article 50 punishes putting narcotics in food or drink without the person's knowledge.
What if a doctor or pharmacist is involved?
Violating the dispensing and prescription rules is deemed facilitation, and doing it deliberately is an aggravating circumstance (Article 48).
Is forcing use punished?
Yes, with imprisonment of not less than ten years (Article 51).
Related guides
Drug Offences overview
The main points, the process and your first steps.
Read the overviewTrafficking and Supply
How UAE law treats importing, producing, possessing and supplying controlled substances, and why quantity and intent shape the whole case.
Read the guideDrug Possession
How the narcotics law distinguishes possession for personal use from possession for others, and the defence of lack of knowledge.
Read the guideSources
Source: Federal Decree-Law No. 30 of 2021 (Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances), official English text on the UAE Legislation portal, checked 9 October 2026. The portal lists the law as active and last updated on 1 October 2025. The Arabic text prevails over translations.
This page is general information, not legal advice.