"They acknowledge that he 'unintentionally possessed' the CBD but have sentenced him to a decade in jail, Irrespective of new laws doing away with prison sentences for foreigners present in possession and allowing for deportation."
By way of example, in February 2021 a US citizen, Peter Clark, smoked cannabis legally inside The us before touring to Dubai. The working day following his arrival, Clark fell unwell with pancreatitis and was hospitalized and handled. Ahead of his discharge he was asked to provide a urine sample, through which traces of marijuana were being observed.
In an announcement to his attorneys Mr Hood mentioned: "I've often experienced a zero-tolerance on any drugs or illegal substances.
In an identical circumstance, a British man, Connor Clements, was sentenced to two many years in jail in Dubai soon after testing good for cannabis in his program throughout a regime drug take a look at for a new task. Clements experienced smoked cannabis in the united kingdom ahead of his flight, but had not consumed any in the UAE.
Hood, a previous semi-pro player from west London, worked being a football coach during the UAE before his arrest in January. It's a country notorious for its extremely zero-tolerance stance on drug-relevant offences.
Modifications to your UAE's drug legal guidelines will limit legal action in opposition to people observed to generally be carrying merchandise which have cannabis extracts.
Earlier, men check here and women carrying products which include things like traces of cannabis would've been detained and referred to prosecutors on fees of drug importation or possessing.
Right up until April, selling the units was in opposition to the regulation, while, just like counterfeit handbags and pretend products, it is not an offence to own or buy a person.
Billy Hood, 24, was arrested in January and convicted by a court docket of drug trafficking with intent to supply - Regardless of with the ability to verify the vape liquid belonged to the visiting Pal who had mistakenly remaining it in his car or truck.
“Not simply authorized experts but Health professionals, psychiatrists, social professionals and Other folks arrived collectively to revise the law and generate one that prioritises rehabilitation plus the welfare of Modern society,” said Ali Galadari, senior choose within the Dubai Court docket of Cassation.
Site visitors to your UAE and expats in the place should be aware to Stick to the neighborhood guidelines on cannabis use, as They're strictly enforced, even for overseas citizens.
But Those people in possession of e-cigarettes stuffed with cannabis extract will keep on to experience legal fees.
It extra that Mr Hood had access to an interpreter continually, his ruling was made in accordance with UAE regulation, and that the material in issue has no therapeutic use.
A prison situation would have adopted in addition to a conviction intended a jail sentence of around ten years and deportation for expatriates.