Wiz Khalifa Sentenced to Nine Months in Romania After Smoking Weed Onstage
Different country, different laws. Wiz Khalifa just learned that the hard way.
The rapper has been sentenced to nine months in prison in Romania after smoking marijuana onstage during a festival performance last summer. Yes, really. One joint. One show. One international legal headache.
The incident dates back to July 2024, when Wiz Khalifa performed at a festival in Costinești, a popular seaside town on Romania’s Black Sea coast. During the set, the rapper casually lit up a joint onstage. Crowd loved it. Authorities did not.
After the show, Khalifa, whose real name is Cameron Jibril Thomaz, was arrested and charged with illegal possession of narcotics. Marijuana remains illegal in Romania, and public use is treated as a criminal offense. No artist exemption. No “it’s part of the show” clause.
Initially, things looked relatively mild. The Tribunal of Constanța handed down a fine of 3,000 lei, roughly $690, according to Romanian outlet CanCan. Slap on the wrist, right?
Not quite.
Romania’s Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism, known as DIICOT, appealed the ruling. And they won. The result: the sentence was upgraded to nine months of imprisonment.
That escalation is what turned a headline into an international news story.
Following the arrest, Wiz tried to defuse the situation publicly.
“I didn’t mean any disrespect to the Romanian state by lighting up on stage,” he said at the time.
Nice sentiment. Zero legal impact.
Romanian law doesn’t weigh intent heavily in cases of public drug use. The act itself is enough. Cultural norms don’t translate well in courtrooms, especially across borders.
Will Wiz Actually Go to Jail?
Short answer: probably not.
As of now, it’s unclear whether Romanian authorities will pursue extradition. There is no concrete indication that Khalifa will be forced to serve the sentence, especially given his residence outside the country and the relatively low severity of the offense in global terms.
FAQ
Why was Wiz Khalifa sentenced in Romania?
For smoking marijuana onstage at a festival, which is illegal under Romanian law.
Was he fined or jailed?
He was initially fined, but after an appeal by prosecutors, the sentence was increased to nine months in prison.
Will Wiz Khalifa actually serve the sentence?
At the moment, there’s no clear indication that Romania will seek extradition or that he will serve jail time.