Modafinil is arguably one of the best nootropics on the market today. It provides a boost in focus, as well as an overall increase in productivity that is second to none. For these reasons, modafinil is unsurprisingly popular among students, hardworking professionals, and anyone looking for cognitive enhancement in general. Although that is not the recommended usage—it is actually a prescription treatment for narcolepsy and several other sleep disorders—modafinil is more famous for its ability to improve focus and performance.
The question then becomes, is modafinil legal when used for cognitive enhancement? And to take it even further: is Modafinil legal to buy online?
Below, we provide a more in-depth look at those crucial questions about the legality of modafinil.
Note: Please keep in mind that this article is not intended to be taken as medical or legal advice and is not a replacement for the counsel of a lawyer or physician. The goal of this article is simply to provide information about the legal status of modafinil in different countries.
The Legal Status of Modafinil
Modafinil promotes wakefulness in its users; hence, it is popular among college students who are looking for something to help them get through an exhausting semester. Modafinil is generally prescribed by doctors to treat certain conditions like shift work sleep disorder, narcolepsy, sleep apnea, excessive daytime sleepiness, and several other sleep-related conditions.
The fact that modafinil remains a prescription drug just about everywhere in the world means that it is a controlled substance in most countries. The meaning and implications of a controlled substance can differ from country to country, but in most cases, it means that modafinil is legal to own, but illegal to purchase without a prescription. However, that does not change the fact that it has been sold for years online by reputable companies such as ModafinilXL.
Is Modafinil Legal in the United States?
Modafinil is classified as a schedule IV controlled substance in the United States. Basically, that means the following:
- It is used as a treatment for at least one medical condition in the United States
- It is classified as having a low potential for addiction and abuse
- In cases when modafinil is abused, it is considered to have a limited physical and psychological dependence
The only legal way to purchase a schedule IV substance in the United States is with a doctor’s prescription. Without one, you are technically making an illegal purchase. Owning a schedule IV substance, however, is a different story. Once you purchase Modafinil, it is legally yours, and it is very unlikely that you would be questioned on your possession of the drug.
There are other countries where modafinil is used as an off-label drug. Here is a breakdown of how modafinil is viewed in those countries.
Canada
In Canada, modafinil is on the list of prescription drugs. The prescription drug list replaced the Schedule F some years ago, and all substances on the list are legal to own, though they do require a prescription to purchase.
That said, modafinil is not mentioned in the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. That means owning modafinil in Canada is not a crime. Once you have purchased it and it is in your possession, it is yours, and there should be no problems when it comes to the long arm of the law.
In Canada, the most common brand names of modafinil are Alertec and Provigil. You will see these names when purchasing generic versions of modafinil in Canada.
United Kingdom
According to the United Kingdom drug use law, modafinil is a restricted prescription-only medication (POM). It is cleared exclusively for the treatment of narcolepsy, and you can buy it legally from a local pharmacy, but only if you have a prescription from a doctor.
It should be noted that owning a POM is illegal in the UK only if it is listed in the UK Misuse of Drugs Act of 1971. Luckily for modafinil users, it is not currently listed there. That means it is not illegal to possess modafinil in the UK. The most common brand name for modafinil in the United Kingdom is Provigil).
Germany
It should come as no shock that you need a prescription to buy modafinil in Germany legally. In Germany, it is legal to possess modafinil, and it is not considered a street drug in any way.
Most frequently sold as Vigil to German customers, modafinil is very unlikely to get you into any legal issues even if you do not have a prescription. Mind you, that does not mean there is no way you can get in trouble for buying modafinil. You are still required to have a prescription to buy modafinil. However, it would be considered very unusual to get into legal issues for possession of modafinil in Germany.
Australia
Much like in the United States with its drug classification system, modafinil is classified as a schedule IV drug in Australia. Like in the US, to purchase a schedule IV drug in Australia, you need a doctor’s prescription beforehand. However, it is not illegal to own the drug without a prescription.
It is also important to note that modafinil—which sells under the brand name of Modavigil in Australia—is not considered illegal to import into Australia. It does not show up on the list of controlled substances; neither does it show up on the Therapeutic Goods Act (TGA) import guidelines. This means it is perfectly legal to own modafinil in Australia with no complications.
Is it Legal to Buy Modafinil Online?
You might be asking yourself the following question: if purchasing modafinil legally requires a prescription, how does anyone get it without one? The simple answer is: the Internet.
Please be aware that it is technically illegal to purchase modafinil online without a prescription in most countries. That said, the odds of you getting in trouble for buying modafinil online are almost non-existent. In fact, most customs offices will not even bother checking your orders.
The truth is, in most countries, customs inspections screen only a small percentage of small packages. Because of the huge amount of shipments that cross each border, anything more than spot checks is virtually impossible.
There is, of course, the off-chance that you could get flagged at customs even though modafinil comes in discreet packaging. But if this does happen to you, there are two likely outcomes.
The first is that customs may not care at all. Legally speaking, border services is supposed to ask you to present a prescription. However, that may not happen because modafinil is not an illegal substance, and it is not illegal to own. Customs officials are much more concerned with illegal substances, so even if they find modafinil, they may not take any action.
The second possibility is that customs may hold the drug and request a proof of prescription in order to release the drug. In this case, they will send you a letter requesting proof of your prescription. But for those you happen to get one of these letters, people are usually fine to ignore them, they are not in any trouble, and officers do not show up at their door to arrest them.
If you do receive a letter and customs does not hear from you after around 30 days of sending the letter, the most likely outcome is that they will destroy your order and direct their resources elsewhere.
While this isn’t an ideal scenario, it is unlikely to happen and is a low-risk situation. If you use a reputable modafinil vendor like Modafinilxl.com, they will usually send your order again for free or refund your money, if you would prefer not to even go through the hassle. Most online modafinil vendors understand that seizures at the border station are just part of doing business and that it will happen from time to time.
Conclusion
Technically speaking, modafinil is only legal to purchase with a prescription. However, it is not illegal to own once you have it in your possession.
You can either buy modafinil online or at a local pharmacy. Purchasing it online is no different from buying from a physical store: in both cases, it requires a prescription to purchase legally. Nevertheless, the reality is that most people who buy modafinil online do so without a doctor’s prescription beforehand.
Ordering online is considered a convenient, cheap, and easy way to buy off-label drugs like modafinil. You can shop with confidence when you order modafinil online from trusted vendors, and you can’t top the convenience of having your order delivered to your door.
Please keep in mind that the best way to use modafinil is to consult your doctor to get a prescription, after which you can purchase modafinil at your local pharmacy or online.
Kindly note that the advice shared in this article should not be taken as a medical or legal counsel. This article reflects the opinion of the writer, an experienced modafinil user, and the article contains information obtained and verified to be valid at the time of publishing, but this article is no substitute for legal counsel and does not profess to offer medical or legal advice of any kind.
If you are interested in trialling Modafinil or Armodafinil (or both), ModafinilXL offers new users a sample pack.
You can find instructions on how to claim the free samples here.