A laser drive device, a laser light emitting device and a laser driving method capable of preventing deterioration or failure of a laser element due to returned lights by defining a control limitation value taking into account an affection of the returned lights to the laser element by calculating a control limitation value of an output or current of the laser element based on first laser characteristic information on transmittance or reflectance of an output end face of the laser element, second laser characteristic information on a rated output value, or a rated current value and an oscillation threshold current value and third laser characteristic information on a returned light rate to the output end face of the laser element, so that a control limitation value taking into account an affection of the returned light is determined; then, by comparing said calculated control limitation value with an input control value; and driving the laser element in accordance with the control value when the control value is smaller than the control limitation value.