American rapper Wiz Khalifa has been sentenced to nine months in prison by a Romanian court after he smoked cannabis during a performance last year.
The 38-year-old artist, whose real name is Cameron Jibril Thomaz, was convicted of unlawful possession of dangerous drugs for personal consumption.
Prosecutors said he possessed more than 18 grams of cannabis, some of which he consumed onstage at the Beach, Please! festival in Costinești in July 2024. 0 “LARGE” 8 “LARGE” 4 “LARGE”
The Constanța Court of Appeal upheld a prosecutorial appeal on Thursday, overturning an earlier lower court decision that imposed only a fine of about £600.
The sentence was delivered in absentia, and Khalifa’s legal team is preparing a further appeal, according to reports.
Khalifa was briefly detained after the festival appearance but released. He later posted on social media that the show had been amazing and apologised for any disrespect, promising to return without a joint.
Romania maintains strict drug laws, with cannabis illegal for recreational or medical use. Possession for personal consumption can carry prison terms of three months to two years or fines.
The country has some of the harshest penalties in Europe for such offences. 6 “LARGE”
Khalifa, known for hits including Black and Yellow and his open advocacy of marijuana use, has long incorporated cannabis into his public persona.
Experts suggest extradition from the United States is unlikely, given differing attitudes to the drug and diplomatic considerations.
The case highlights contrasting approaches to cannabis across jurisdictions, as many countries move towards decriminalisation or legalisation while others retain prohibitive stances.
