Americans who travel out of the country really need to understand and respect other countries’ drug laws.
Rapper Wiz Khalifa has been sentenced to jail in Romania following an incident in which he smoked cannabis onstage during a live performance.
According to court records and reporting from the Associated Press, a Romanian appeals court sentenced Khalifa to nine months in prison after prosecutors challenged an earlier, more lenient ruling.
The case stems from a July 2024 performance at the Beach, Please! Festival in the coastal town of Costinești, where authorities said the rapper was found in possession of cannabis and had used it publicly during his set.
Khalifa, whose real name is Cameron Jibril Thomaz, was initially fined earlier this year for drug possession. However, Romanian prosecutors appealed the decision, arguing the punishment did not reflect the seriousness of the offense under the country’s strict narcotics laws.
The appellate court agreed and imposed a custodial sentence.
Romania maintains zero-tolerance drug laws, where possession and use of cannabis, regardless of quantity or intent, remain criminal offenses. This is different from many U.S. states, where marijuana has been legalized or decriminalized for recreational or medical use.
The sentence was issued in absentia, meaning Khalifa was not present in court. Romanian authorities have not publicly stated whether they will pursue extradition, and legal experts note such a move would be unlikely.
Still, the ruling remains on the books and carries legal consequences should Khalifa return to the country or travel within certain jurisdictions.
The case has reignited broader conversations about American artists and travelers assuming that behaviors accepted at home will be tolerated abroad. Cannabis use, in particular, remains illegal in many parts of Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, with penalties ranging from fines to lengthy prison sentences.
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