American rapper Wiz Khalifa has been sentenced to nine months in prison by a Romanian court following a drug possession case linked to his on-stage behavior at a music festival. The ruling stems from an incident in July 2024, when the artist allegedly smoked cannabis during a live performance at the Beach, Please! festival in Costinești, a popular seaside resort.
According to Romanian authorities, police intervened after the show and found Khalifa, whose real name is Cameron Jibril Thomaz, in possession of more than 18 grams of cannabis. Drug use and possession, including cannabis for personal consumption, remain criminal offenses under Romanian law.
A lower court initially imposed a fine earlier this year, but prosecutors appealed the decision, arguing that the punishment was too lenient given the public nature of the act.
On December 18, 2025, the Constanța Court of Appeal overturned the fine and handed down a nine-month prison sentence for illegal possession of drugs for personal use. The court said the on-stage consumption could encourage illegal behavior, particularly among young audiences.
While the sentence is final under Romanian law, it remains unclear whether Wiz Khalifa will serve jail time. As a U.S. citizen who does not reside in Romania, enforcement of the sentence would depend on further legal steps, including any potential extradition proceedings, which have not been announced.
The case has reignited discussion around strict drug laws in parts of Europe and serves as a reminder that actions tolerated or legal in some countries can carry serious consequences elsewhere.