Yes. You need to get permission to take a vast number of medications into UAE, including opioids and even common antidepressants.

I went through this process before COVID, with the intention of travelling to Dubai, and they knocked back my request about 10 times for spurious reasons, and were adament that I couldn't enter Dubai with a single pill more than was required for the duration of my time in Dubai. Which of course is completely unrealistic - I'd need some for travelling back, and a small buffer because of flight delays or whatever.

Honestly, travelling with certain medications is a major PITA.

Opioid-based painkillers for sure, sleeping pills, apparently even decongestants like Sudafed because they contain pseudoephedrine.