Wiz Khalifa Arrested in Romania

Rapper Wiz Khalifa was arrested in Romania on Sunday after performing at the Beach, Please! music festival in Costinesti. According to a report by Barron’s, Khalifa smoked cannabis on stage during his set, prompting police to step in and cut his performance short. However, Khalifa later posted an apology online, saying he had been released.

“Last nights show was amazing. I didn’t mean any disrespect to the country of Romania by lighting up on stage,” Khalifa wrote on X. “They were very respectful and let me go. I’ll be back soon. But without a big ass joint next time.” Romania has not legalized cannabis or marijuana the way that many U.S. states have, whether its for medical or recreational use. Possession of the drug is punishable by up to ten years in prison in Romania.

Videos of Khalifa’s arrest circulated on social media. A source close to the investigation told Barron’s that Khalifa and several other people were taken in for questioning immediately. Khalifa was charged, but not held in custody. Prosecutors said that the investigation is ongoing.

“During a performance at a music festival held in the resort of Costinesti, the accused was found to have possessed more than 18 grams of cannabis and to have consumed (on stage) another quantity in the form of a handmade cigarette,” they said.

Khalifa has been a well known cannabis enthusiast since before the wave of legalizations at the state level. His music career started in 2005 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and he still owns a home near the city. However, at the time of this writing Pennsylvania has only legalized cannabis for specific medical uses, with a recreational use bill on the table this year, according to a report by WHYY.

Khalifa has also capitalized on the growing cannabis business around the U.S. in places where it is legal. He began a sponsorship with The Cookie Company in 2014, endorsing a signature strain called Khalifa Kush. He has said in interviews that he is a daily user and that at one point, he was spending up to $10,000 per month on cannabis alone.

Even with laws relaxing around the U.S., however, cannabis is illegal at the federal level and traveling with it carries serious risk. Even domestic flights from one state where it is legal to another do not allow the transport of cannabis. Consult local laws carefully when it comes to this murky set of rules.