In July 2024, the famous American rapper Wiz Khalifa was performing at a music festival in Romania called “Beach, Please!” It was held in a sunny coastal resort town named Costinesti. Now, Wiz Khalifa is known for his open love of cannabis, and it’s a big part of his stage persona. During his set, while singing his hit song “Young, Wild & Free,” he lit up and smoked a large, hand-rolled cannabis cigarette right there on stage.
This act, which might get him cheers in some places, landed him in serious trouble in Romania. Romanian police were alerted and stopped him after the show. They found him in possession of a little over 18 grams of cannabis. Prosecutors later said he not only had it but had consumed some during the performance.
Romania's Strict Drug Laws
To understand why this became such a big deal, you need to know about Romania’s stance on drugs. Compared to many other European countries, Romania has some of the toughest drug laws. In places like the Netherlands or parts of the USA, personal use of cannabis might be tolerated or even legal. But in Romania, it’s fully criminalized. Simply having drugs like cannabis for your own use is a crime. The law states you can face prison time ranging from three months to two years, or you might get hit with a heavy fine. There’s no gray area for personal use—it’s illegal, period.
The Court Case Rollercoaster
The legal process took over a year. Initially, in April of this year, a lower court in Constanta County looked at the case. They found him guilty of illegal drug possession but gave him what many saw as a lighter punishment: a criminal fine of 3,600 Romanian Lei (which is about $830). That seemed like it might be the end of it—a hefty fine for a celebrity, but no jail time.
However, the Romanian prosecutors weren’t satisfied. They believed the punishment was too soft for the crime and didn’t send a strong enough message. They decided to appeal the decision, asking a higher court for a stricter sentence. This is their right within the legal system.
The Final Verdict: Jail Time
This brings us to the recent news. On a Thursday, the Constanta Court of Appeal, which is a higher court, reviewed the case. They overturned the earlier fine and handed down a new sentence: nine months in jail. They convicted him specifically for “possession of dangerous drugs, without right, for personal consumption.” The key thing here is that the Romanian national news agency stated this decision is final. That means there’s no higher court in Romania to appeal to in this case; the sentence stands as given.
The Big Question: Will He Actually Go to Jail?
This is where things get tricky and why this story has an unusual twist. Wiz Khalifa is a 38-year-old U.S. citizen from Pittsburgh. He doesn’t live in Romania; he was just there for the festival. He left the country after the incident and is presumably back home in America.
Romania can’t just snap its fingers and bring him back. To enforce this jail sentence, they would need to formally request that the United States arrest him and send him back to Romania—a process called extradition. It’s a complicated, lengthy, and political process between governments. As of now, it’s unclear if Romanian authorities will even try to file that request. It involves a lot of diplomatic paperwork and isn’t a guarantee. So, while he has a prison sentence hanging over his head, he may never actually spend a day in a Romanian cell unless an extradition process is successfully completed.
The Bottom Line and Why It Matters
At its heart, this case is a major clash of cultures and laws. Wiz Khalifa, who became famous with songs about cannabis lifestyle, like his mixtape “Kush + Orange Juice,” did something on a Romanian stage that he’s done on many stages around the world. But this time, he was in a country with a zero-tolerance policy. The case shows that celebrities aren’t above local laws, no matter how normal their actions might seem back home.
It also highlights the vast differences in drug policies across the globe. What’s a casual act in one city can be a serious criminal offense in another. For Wiz Khalifa, this final jail sentence is a stern legal mark on his record, even if he never serves the time. It serves as a stark reminder to all travelers: you must respect the laws of the country you are in, no matter who you are.