Pharmacy Board declares tramadol tablets illegal restricts use to protect public health Freetown Thursday 18 December 2025
The Pharmacy Board of Sierra Leone has declared tramadol tablets illegal banning their importation possession and sale nationwide in a decisive move to combat widespread drug abuse while preserving access to pain management for patients with genuine medical needs.
The directive issued under Section 29(1) of the Pharmacy and Drugs Act 2001 was announced by Minister of Health Dr. Austin Demby during a press conference on Thursday at the Ministry of Health Conference Hall on the 4th floor of Youyi Building Freetown.
Under the new ministerial directive all tramadol tablet sales are prohibited throughout Sierra Leone. The Board has approved zero tramadol tablet sales nationwide effectively ending access to the drug in tablet form. "Only 50 milligram capsules and injectable forms of tramadol are allowed in-country and only within a hospital environment; anything outside of that is illegal " Dr. Demby emphasized.
The only formulations now legally permitted are:
Tramadol 50mg capsules for oral use
Tramadol 50mg/ml injectable formulations which may be used exclusively in recognized health facilities under strict professional supervision
Any tramadol product outside these approved limits has been declared illegal and will be subject to immediate seizure by authorities.
The Pharmacy Board's decision follows mounting public health and safety concerns linked to widespread abuse of high-dose tramadol particularly among young people. The Board presented compelling evidence connecting tramadol misuse to addiction road traffic accidents violent behavior seizures overdoses and preventable deaths.
Dr. Demby noted that many high-strength tramadol products previously circulating in communities "have no legitimate role in standard medical care" and pose significant risks to public health.
The Pharmacy Board emphasized that the new measures do not amount to a ban on pain treatment. Tramadol will remain available for patients who genuinely require it but only under controlled safe and medically supervised conditions within healthcare facilities.
Officials stressed that the restriction targets abuse and illegal distribution while safeguarding legitimate medical access for those in need of pain relief.
The Pharmacy Board has been mandated through it Pharmacovigilance Department to enforce the directive through nationwide inspections seizures and sanctions against non-compliant importers distributors and sellers. Board enforcement teams will work in collaboration with law enforcement agencies and border authorities to prevent illegal importation and distribution.
The ban is expected to be implemented immediately with the Board coordinating efforts to seize illegal supplies and ensure full compliance across the pharmaceutical sector.
The Ministry of Health stated that the Pharmacy Board's tramadol restrictions align with the government's broader commitment to human capital development and ongoing efforts to tackle substance abuse including the fight against the drug known as kush.
The measure represents a significant step in the Board's regulatory mandate and Sierra Leone's drug control efforts.
The Pharmacy Board through the Ministry of Health has called on health professionals pharmaceutical operators community leaders parents and the general public to fully cooperate with the new measures to protect public health and safeguard the future of Sierra Leone's youth.
The Board reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening regulation within the pharmaceutical sector while ensuring that essential medicines remain accessible for safe and legitimate medical use.