Kratom is not legal in Greece. The Ministry of Health added Mitragyna speciosa and its main alkaloid, mitragynine, to Greece’s controlled substances through a decision published in the Government Gazette in March 2025, and from that date every form of kratom has been treated the same as any other controlled drug under Greek law.
Before March 2025, kratom sat in an unregulated space. That window is closed. There was no grace period when the decision was published, and the full weight of Greek drug law applied immediately.
What the Ban Covers
The prohibition is broad. Raw leaves, powder, extracts, capsules, and any product containing mitragynine all fall under it. Greek law does not create a softer category for products marketed as “herbal” or “botanical” when the active substance itself is controlled.
The banned activities are equally broad: possession, purchase, sale, distribution, cultivation of the plant, and import or export. Greek law splits drug offenses into two main categories, personal-use possession and trafficking, and the penalties differ enormously. Both are criminal.
Penalties if You’re Caught With Kratom for Personal Use
Possession in a quantity a judge accepts as personal use is a misdemeanor under Article 29 of Law 4139/2013, carrying up to five months of imprisonment.1European Union Drugs Agency. Penalties for Drug Law Offences at a Glance There is no fixed gram threshold; the judge decides what counts as personal use based on the circumstances.
A court can waive the penalty if it finds the offense was a one-time lapse unlikely to be repeated.1European Union Drugs Agency. Penalties for Drug Law Offences at a Glance That is a discretionary call, not a right, and planning around it would be a mistake.
Penalties for Selling, Sharing, or Distributing
Trafficking is punished far more harshly than possession, and the line between the two turns on whether you intended to pass the substance to anyone else. Selling kratom, distributing it, or giving it away can all be charged as trafficking under Article 20 of Law 4139/2013.
- Basic trafficking under Article 20: eight to twenty years of imprisonment and a fine of up to €300,000.2European Union Drugs Agency. Drug Trafficking Penalties Across the European Union
- Aggravated trafficking under Article 22: ten to twenty years and fines between €50,000 and €500,000. Aggravating factors include trafficking near schools, military facilities, prisons, or sports venues, or being a public official whose duties involve drugs.2European Union Drugs Agency. Drug Trafficking Penalties Across the European Union
- The most severe tier under Article 23: life imprisonment and fines between €50,000 and €1,000,000, applied when trafficking causes death or serious bodily harm, involves minors, or is carried out as a profession with profits above €75,000.2European Union Drugs Agency. Drug Trafficking Penalties Across the European Union
Bringing Kratom Into Greece
Importing kratom in any form is prohibited, by any route, for any purpose. It makes no difference whether you arrive by plane, ferry, or car, whether the kratom is in your carry-on or checked luggage, or whether it was mailed to a Greek address. Greek customs can seize controlled substances at borders and ports of entry.
This is where travelers most often get caught out. Kratom bought legally in the Netherlands, Germany, or the Czech Republic becomes contraband the moment it enters Greek territory. The source country’s rules do not travel with the product. Exporting kratom from Greece is also illegal, so acquiring it inside the country and then trying to carry it out creates its own criminal exposure.
If You Are Arrested
Anyone detained for a drug offense in Greece has the right to contact their country’s embassy or consulate, the right to a criminal defense lawyer of their own choosing from the first day of custody, and the right to an interpreter.
What the U.S. Embassy Can Do
For U.S. citizens, the embassy can provide a list of English-speaking local attorneys, contact your family or employer with your written permission, visit you regularly, help ensure you receive appropriate medical care, and set up a trust account so family members can transfer funds.3U.S. Embassy & Consulate in Greece. Arrest of a U.S. Citizen
What the Embassy Cannot Do
The embassy cannot get you out of jail, give you legal advice, represent you in court, serve as your interpreter, or pay your legal fees.3U.S. Embassy & Consulate in Greece. Arrest of a U.S. Citizen Citizens of other countries should contact their own embassy, which generally provides similar help. No embassy can override Greek law or stop a prosecution.