German Tourist Sentenced in Northern Cyprus for Possession of Medical Marijuana Prescribed in Germany

A German tourist visiting Northern Cyprus has been sentenced to up to one month in prison after being caught with marijuana prescribed by his doctor in Germany for treating psychosomatic disorders.

During the court proceedings, a police officer testified that on December 13, 2024, at around 10:00 PM, anti-narcotics and smuggling teams detained the tourist in the arrivals hall of Ercan Airport. The passenger's luggage had drawn the attention of a sniffer dog named Pamir. Upon inspection, officers discovered four packets of tobacco mixed with cannabis, weighing a total of 79 grams.

In his testimony, the tourist explained that he had been dealing with severe psychosomatic disorders caused by stress. He stated that the marijuana was prescribed by his doctor in Germany to help manage his condition. Following his initial arrest, the tourist was held for nine days on charges of illegal import and possession of narcotics before being brought back to court.

The court also heard that the German citizen had entered Northern Cyprus on a tourist visa. After reviewing the case, the judge sentenced him to a prison term not exceeding one month.