Wiz Khalifa Sentenced to Nine Months in Jail Over Cannabis Charges in Romania
A Romanian appeals court has convicted Wiz Khalifa to nine months in prison for having cannabis at a music event in 2024. This is a rare and high-profile case involving a U.S. artist and Eastern Europe’s stringent drug regulations.
The Constanța Court of Appeal decided to give Khalifa a harsher term after prosecutors said that the previous sentence was too moderate given the facts of the case.
Incident at Romanian Music Festival
The charges go back to July 2024, when Khalifa played at the Beach, Please! Festival in Costinești, a well-known beach resort on Romania’s Black Sea coast. Romanian officials said that the rapper was witnessed smoking pot on stage while he was performing.
Later, the police said that Khalifa had more than 18 grams of cannabis, which is more than what Romania allows for minor administrative punishments. Possessing cannabis, even for personal use, is still against the law in Romania.
Sentence Increased After Prosecutor’s Appeal
A lower court found Khalifa guilty of having prohibited drugs in April 2025 and fined him 3,600 Romanian lei (about $830). Prosecutors challenged that ruling, saying the fine didn’t account for how public the crime was or how it could affect festivalgoers.
The appellate court agreed and changed the fine to a nine-month prison term. This is within Romania’s permitted range of three months to two years in prison for using cannabis.
Strict Drug Laws in Romania
Romania enforces some of the strictest drug laws in Europe, with cannabis fully illegal for recreational use and tightly restricted even for medical purposes. Authorities have repeatedly emphasized zero tolerance for public drug use, particularly at large cultural events.
Prosecutors reportedly argued that Khalifa’s conduct could “normalize illegal drug use,” especially among younger audiences attending the festival.
No Custody or Extradition Yet
Khalifa has not been arrested yet, and the Romanian government has not said if they would ask for his extradition. Legal experts say that it doesn’t happen very often, but U.S. citizens can be extradited for drug possession cases that don’t involve violence.
Khalifa admitted to the crime shortly after his arrest in 2024. He said he was sorry and that he respected Romanian law. He hasn’t said anything in public since the appellate court’s judgment.
A Case Highlighting Global Cannabis Contradictions
The case underscores the sharp contrast between cannabis laws in parts of Eastern Europe and those in the United States, where weed is legal for recreational or medical use in a majority of states.
For international artists, the ruling serves as a reminder that local drug laws apply regardless of global fame or changing attitudes toward cannabis elsewhere — and that legal consequences abroad can be far more severe than expected.
