December 19, (THEWILL) — A Romanian appeals court, on Thursday, December 18, sentenced American rapper, Thomaz Cameron Jibril, popularly known as Wiz Khalifa, to nine months in prison after he smoked cannabis on stage during a music festival last year.
The Constanța Court of Appeal dismissed an earlier fine of 3,600 Romanian lei (about $830) for drug possession and replaced it with a prison sentence. Judges said the act sent a message that could encourage illegal drug use among young people.
The incident happened in July 2024 at the Beach, Please! festival in Costinești, where the rapper admitted to smoking a joint during his performance.
Romanian authorities said he was found with more than 18 grams of cannabis and consumed additional amounts on stage.
The sentence was issued in absentia. Wiz Khalifa is currently in the United States, where he has continued to perform publicly. Legal experts say extradition is unlikely due to differences in cannabis laws and Romania’s limited authority to enforce the ruling abroad.
Following the incident, the rapper said he did not intend to offend Romania and acknowledged the authorities’ respectful handling of the situation.
Cannabis remains illegal in Romania. In the United States, cannabis laws vary by state, with recreational or medical use legal in some states, although it remains illegal under federal law.
Evi Ben Ezaga writes on entertainment, culture, and trending stories.
