Wiz Khalifa Sentenced in Absentia to Nine Months in Prison in Romania Over Cannabis Charge

Wiz Khalifa has been sentenced in absentia to nine months in prison in Romania following an appeal related to a drug possession case stemming from a 2024 concert appearance.

The ruling follows an incident in July 2024, when the rapper, born Cameron Jibril Thomaz, was briefly detained after allegedly smoking marijuana onstage during a performance at a festival in Costinești, a seaside town along Romania’s Black Sea coast. Authorities charged Khalifa with illegal possession of cannabis, a substance that remains fully prohibited under Romanian law.

At the time, Khalifa was released shortly after questioning and publicly apologized for the incident, writing on social media, “I didn’t mean any disrespect to the country of Romania by lighting up on stage.” Despite the apology, prosecutors pursued legal action.

An initial ruling by the Constanța Tribunal resulted in a monetary penalty rather than incarceration. According to Romanian outlet CanCan, the court imposed a fine of 3,000 lei ( roughly $690) for possession of a controlled substance for personal use. That outcome was later challenged by prosecutors.

The Constanța branch of Romania’s Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT), which handles serious drug-related offenses, appealed the decision. The appellate court sided with DIICOT, overturning the fine and issuing a nine-month prison sentence for unlawful possession of “dangerous drugs for personal use.” Under Romanian law, the ruling is considered final.

Khalifa was not present for the proceedings, and it remains unclear whether Romanian authorities intend to pursue extradition. As of now, there is no indication that such a move is imminent, and legal experts note that extradition over nonviolent drug offenses, particularly involving foreign nationals, is uncommon.

Representatives for Khalifa did not immediately respond to requests for comment. DIICOT also did not respond to inquiries seeking clarification on enforcement or extradition plans.

Since the ruling, Khalifa has continued his professional activities in the United States without interruption. On Dec. 17, the rapper appeared in Los Angeles for a surprise cameo during Gunna’s concert and later streamed on Twitch for several hours. No public acknowledgment of the Romanian sentence has been made beyond his earlier apology.

Romania maintains some of the most restrictive cannabis laws in the European Union. Marijuana is illegal for both recreational and medical use, and possession is classified as a criminal offense. Cannabis was designated a “high-risk drug” under Romanian law more than a decade ago, placing it alongside substances such as heroin and cocaine in terms of legal severity.

While some EU countries permit limited medical marijuana use, Romania does not allow physicians to prescribe cannabis domestically. Individuals who are legally prescribed cannabis in other EU nations may enter Romania with it only under strict documentation requirements. Unauthorized possession can result in penalties ranging from fines to prison sentences of three months to two years, depending on quantity and circumstances.

Khalifa’s case has drawn attention largely due to his celebrity status and the contrast between cannabis laws in Romania and those in parts of the United States, where marijuana is legal for recreational use in multiple states. Khalifa, who has long associated his public image with cannabis culture, has previously launched marijuana-related business ventures and frequently references weed use in his music and public appearances.

Although the nine-month sentence is legally binding within Romania, enforcement across international borders remains uncertain. Romania does not automatically extradite foreign nationals for low-level drug offenses, particularly when the individual resides in a country where the conduct in question is legal.