Wiz Khalifa Gets 9 Months In Jail For Smoking Marijuana Onstage At Romanian Music Festival in 2024

Marijuana is illegal in Romania.

“Black and Yellow” rapper Wiz Khalifa, who was indicted for smoking marijuana at a Romanian music festival in October, was sentenced to nine months in jail on Thursday, Dec. 18.

According to The Associated Press, the Constanta Court of Appeal stated Khalifa, 38. was convicted of “possession of dangerous drugs, without right, for personal consumption,” per Romania’s national news agency, Agerpres.

The rapper was arrested and charged after he was caught smoking marijuana while performing at July’s Beach, Please! Festival in Costinesti in July 2024. The Directorate for the Investigation of Organized Crime and Terrorism stated that the rapper was in possession of 18.53 grams of cannabis in addition to “a cigarette that contained cannabis” that night.

Marijuana is illegal in Romania.

In April, a lower court in Constanta County issued Khalifa a criminal fine of 3,600 lei ($830) for “illegal possession of dangerous drugs.” Prosecutors appealed the court’s decision and sought a higher sentence.

Under Romanian law, he could have been imprisoned from anywhere between three months and two years or a fine for having drugs (marijuana) that were classified as risky. According to the AP, it isn’t clear whether Romanian authorities will seek to file an extradition request, since Khalifa is a U.S. citizen and doesn’t reside in Romania.

Khalifa admitted that the rumors of him smoking 30 joints a day were true on a June 13 episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live! The rapper said he started smoking as a teenager, and that it helps with everyday activities. “I have things to do: I work out—I got kids, so I do a lot of different things,” he told the late-night talk show host.

“Somebody put it a really good way the other day,” he added. “They said it’s like a mental exercise, like, you smoke, and then you just challenge yourself to do normal things throughout the day.”

The initial purpose was to develop his musical creativity, but “it kind of became something that, you know, later on in life, helped me to get through a lot of things,” he explained.