Legal Status in the United Nations:
Harmala is not listed on the Yellow List (List of Narcotic Drugs under International Control), the Green List (List of Psychotropic Substances under International Control), nor the Red List (List of Precursors and Chemicals Frequently Used in the Illicit Manufacture of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances under International Control).
Legal Status in the United States:
Peganum harmala is not listed specifically in the Schedules to the US Controlled Substances Act and is not mentioned anywhere on the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) website. Therefore, Syrian Rue is uncontrolled as far as the DEA is concerned. As of March 2022 The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) confiscates Syrian Rue in US Customs. Although it is legal it can be confiscated from international suppliers. The USDA has recently unpublished the legality of Syrian Rue. The following screen shot was taken from their website prior to the removal of legal information about Syrian Rue. Notice that the USDA openly restricts Peganum Harmala in Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Oregon. Although growing it in Oregon would be difficult because it only grows in hot, dry, desert conditions USDA openly “Quarantines” the shipment. Below is a screenshot taken from the USDA website in September 2019 specifying the six US states where Peganum Harmala is openly regulated to prevent it becoming an invasive species.
In practice the USDA may seize ANY international shipment of Peganum Harmala to ANY state – even where the plant is unregulated and uncontrolled. Technically the USDA is violating US law by tampering with mail containing uncontrolled substances when that mail is destined for states like North Carolina where there is no legal regulation of the plant.
I contested this (illegal) confiscation of Syrian Rue with the USDA. I showed them the information from their own website showing that I was in a region where Syrian Rue is unregulated. The USDA said that they had destroyed the Syrian Rue seeds. They had neither apology nor explanation for taking my mail. The USDA was not able to reimburse me for their error. I reported the fraudulent business of the USDA to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) who did respond to me and created an FTC reference number(89098449) to my claim against the USDA.
Digression about DMT
Regarding DMT – DimethylTryptamine in the United States which is listed as a controlled substance:
State authorities rarely consider Federal sentencing guidelines for DMT.
The DEA recommend that 1 gram of DMT be punished equivalent to 100 grams of cannabis.
Federal-sentencing-guidelines-2011-Chapter_2_D
Australia:
The importation of Peganum harmala or any other harmine/harmaline containing herbal material into Australia is prohibited under the Customs Act 1901, Regulations, Schedule 4 (Drugs). The export of Peganum harmala or any other harmine/harmaline containing herbal material is prohibited under Schedule 8 (export regulations) of the Customs Act. Consumption of any harmine/harmaline containing material is prohibited under state legislation in most Australian states.
Canada:
Peganum harmala is included under item 9 of Schedule III to the CDSA and is a controlled substance.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) recommends regulating Peganum harmala as a quarantine pest under the Plant Protection Act, placing this species on the List of Pests Regulated by Canada and regulating the plant as a prohibited noxious weed under the Weed Seeds Order of the Seeds Act.
Regulate Peganum harmala as a prohibited noxious weed (Class 1) under the Weed Seeds Order of the Seeds Act1. This species meets the definitions for Class 12 species under the Weed Seeds Order. Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
This measure will complement measures already in place under the CDSA to regulate Peganum harmala. It will further ensure that seeds of the plant are not allowed entry into Canada. Regulate as a quarantine pest under the Plant Protection Act. Add this species to the List of Pests Regulated by Canada (CFIA 2009) in order to:Further prevent the importation, movement, and cultivation of this species in Canada.
France:
As of 2026
France classifies Peganum harmala as a “plante vénéneuse” (poisonous plant) and prohibits its sale and distribution.
- Regulated under: French Public Health Code (Code de la Santé Publique) List of poisonous plants – Annex of Article D.5132‑1.
Syrian Rue 