A Romanian court sentenced Wiz Khalifa to nine months in jail for drug possession on Thursday, after smoking cannabis onstage at a music festival in the country more than a year ago.
Wiz Khalifa smoked a joint during his 2024 performance in Romania
The “Black and Yellow” rapper, born Cameron Jibril Thomaz, smoked a joint during his performance in July 2024 at the Beach, Please! Festival in Costinesti, a popular seaside resort town in Constanța County, in southeastern Romania. Romanian police said Jibirl had more than 18 grams of cannabis and smoked some on stage, according to The Associated Press.
The Constanta Court of Appeal issued the sentence after Wiz Khalifa, who’s 38, was convicted of “possession of dangerous drugs, without right, for personal consumption,” according to the Associated Press’ citing of Romania’s national news agency, Agerpres.
Agerpres confirmed the decision was final. The court overturned an April ruling by a Constanta County lower court that fined Wiz Khalifa 3,600 lei ($830) for “illegal possession of dangerous drugs” after prosecutors appealed and sought a harsher sentence, according to the Associated Press.
Romania has one of the strictest drug laws in Europe
The Constanta Court of Appeals judges said in a written decision that they overturned the original fine because Wiz Khalifa had sent “a message of normalisation of illegal conduct” and thereby promoted “drug use among young people,” The BBC reported. They also called the incident an “ostentatious act.”
According to the European Union Drugs Agency, unlawful possession of drugs for recreation or personal use is “punishable by 3 months to 2 years imprisonment or fine for ‘risk’ drugs, and 6 months to 3 years imprisonment for ‘high risk’ drugs.”
Wiz Khalifa said he plans on returning to Romania
It is unclear whether Wiz Khalifa will be extradited to Romania since he is an American citizen. A day after the incident, Wiz Khalifa shared a post on X in which he spoke highly of Romania and said he would be more respectful of their drug laws the next time he visits.
“Last nights show was amazing. I didn’t mean any disrespect to the country of Romania by lighting up on stage. They were very respectful and let me go. I’ll be back soon. But without a big a** joint next time,” he wrote.