American rapper Wiz Khalifa has been handed a nine-month jail term by a Romanian court for drug possession, following an incident at a music festival in the country over a year ago. The rapper, whose real name is Cameron Jibril Thomaz, was found with over 18 grams of cannabis in his possession after allegedly smoking the substance on stage at the Beach, Please! Festival in Costinesti, Romania. The Constanta Court of Appeal issued the conviction for “possession of dangerous drugs, without right, for personal consumption,” as reported by Romania’s national news agency, Agerpres. This decision is final, overturning a previous criminal fine of 3,600 lei (approximately $1,140 Cdn) issued by a lower court in Constanta County for “illegal possession of dangerous drugs.”
Notably, Romania enforces strict drug laws, with possession of cannabis for personal use being a punishable offense that can lead to imprisonment ranging from three months to two years, or a monetary penalty. The potential extradition of Khalifa, an American citizen who does not reside in Romania, remains uncertain.
Wiz Khalifa, a 38-year-old rapper from Pittsburgh, gained fame through his mixtape Kush + Orange Juice. During his performance in Romania, he was seen smoking a sizeable hand-rolled cigarette while performing his popular track Young, Wild & Free.