Which countries can punish you for doing drugs elsewhere? [closed]

Which countries can punish you for doing drugs elsewhere? [closed] - Woman With Pink Lipstick and Black Mascara

I am a Russian citizen living in the Netherlands, my travel plans for this year include many EU countries, many trips to Russia as well as UK, US and Japan. At the moment, I have never done drugs, but I have been to coffeeshops with others. Recently, my bags have been drug tested in Warsaw airport. The test came out negative but that got me thinking:

  • Many countries criminalize purchase of cannabis
  • Many countries have the legal concept that a crime committed abroad is equivalent to a crime committed on their soil
  • If I were a frequent visitor of Dutch coffeeshops I could easily have trace amounts of weed on my clothes and backpack which could be detected.

Are there notable precedents of travellers punished for doing drugs in a country where it's legal? If any of my stuff ever tests positive on a drug test in a country where it's illegal will telling the police that I have been to a coffeeshop in the Netherlands help me or hurt me? Should I establish a "quarantine rule" of not coming close to anything drug-related N days before I leave the Netherlands? How many days? Which countries should I be especially cautious about?



Best Answer

Some jurisdictions can take a very stern view to ANY suggestion of recent past drug use.

A few years ago a British citizen was arrested on arrival in Dubai for having 0.003g of cannabis embedded in the dirt on the bottom of his shoe. He was jailed for 4 years, before being pardoned after a few months. Source: BBC news.

The same story mentions several other cases, including a Swiss citizen, also jailed for 4 years, for having 3 poppy seeds from a bread roll on his clothing.




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What is the punishment for drugs in Sweden?

Sweden has a strict legislation regarding drug offences. The Swedish Penal Law on Narcotics criminalizes the use, possession, purchase, sale and the transfer of drugs. The punishment for a drug offence is imprisonment for up to three years, and the punishment for a minor drug offence is a substantial fine.

What is the punishment for drugs in Germany?

The illicit supply, cultivation and manufacture of narcotic drugs carry penalties of up to 5 years' imprisonment. The penalty range increases to 1-, 2- or 5-15 years in defined aggravating circumstances, for example if larger quantities of narcotic drugs, minors, gang membership or weapons are involved.

Is Portugal the only country to decriminalize all drugs?

Portugal was not the first country to decriminalise some or all drugs, and it has not been the last. However, it is one of the most prominent and influential. The Portuguese model directly influenced the 2020 decriminalisation measure passed in Oregon, for example, as well as proposed decriminalisation in Norway.

Which country does not allow drugs?

Portugal made history by becoming the first country in the world to abolish criminal penalties for consumption and possession of all drugs.



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More answers regarding which countries can punish you for doing drugs elsewhere? [closed]

Answer 2

In South Korea you can go to jail if you smoked Marijuana in a country where it is legal (like Canada or the Netherlands). Some K-pop stars were send to jail for smoking weed in the Netherlands.

Wikipedia

NY Times post

Fortune post

The Guardian post

Answer 3

You mention EU countries. Belgium doesn't care about drug use in other countries. However, it's illegal to drive a car in Belgium if there's any trace of previous drug use in your blood, and obviously the country of drug use doesn't matter. Random roadside tests are uncommon, but they happen, so it's not advisable to drive a car in Belgium for weeks (or months, depending on the source) after using drugs.

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