Cannabis Journalist Arrested For Weed Possession In Germany After Barcelona Assignment

The International Cannabis Awards (ICA), dubbed the “Oscars” of the cannabis world, took place in Barcelona on Wednesday. The prestigious event gathered cannabis experts from all over the world.

Shirley Ju, who hosted the ICA, was shocked when she was detained at an airport in Munich, Germany for possession of weed.

"This was definitely a lesson learned to never travel with weed again," said the contributing writer for Cannabis Now. Ju is a cannabis and music writer who told her story in the cannabis outlet while flying back to Las Angeles.

See also: Barcelona Hosts International Cannabis Awards: The Industry’s Oscars?

Here's How It All Began

After a successful visit to Spain, attending both the ICA and Spannabis, Ju's flight back to the U.S. via Air France with a layover in Paris was switched to a flight via Lufthansa, with a stop in Munich.

Following a two-hour flight from Barcelona to Germany and an hour layover, Ju was stopped by two men with police badges as she approached the gate. They searched her luggage and found cannabis in her checked luggage.

"Got caught for weed in Germany.. they came to grab me as I was boarding. They found it in my luggage & proceeded to search all my belongings.. wish me luck," Ju posted on Instagram alongside a recording of her being detained.

Ju – who suffers from ADD/ADHD – has been traveling internationally with medical marijuana in her checked luggage.

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"My weed use has always been medicinal over recreational, and now working in the industry, it baffles me that something completely legal where I live could result in these types of consequences," Ju wrote.

After a thorough search of her backpack, officers confiscated cannabis pre-rolls and edibles that Ju brought with her from the U.S. to Spain to help her sleep during the flight.

Ju was then brought to their office where she was read her rights and offered to contact a lawyer. The paperwork that documented the items that were confiscated included a CBD vape with less than 0.3% THC in it. Ju emphasized adding that "any amount of THC is flagged, assuming the letters THC on any label deems the product as illegal."

After signing over a dozen papers, Ju was issued a fine for "more or less, roughly $550," which she paid immediately.

Ju eventually managed to catch a flight out of Munich later that day. However, she struggled to "find the positive in the situation."

"I've been preaching how grateful and humbled I am to be able to travel to Spain for work because of the plant, I'd never anticipate the plant causing so much distress," Ju said.

Cannabis In Germany

Ironically, had Ju found herself in this situation only two weeks later, none of this would have happened.

Smoking cannabis in several public spaces in Germany will be considered legal as of April 1. Possession of up to 25g, which is comparable to dozens of strong joints, will be permitted. The legal limit in private homes will be raised to 50g.

The Bundestag approved partial cannabis legalization in a final floor vote in February, making Germany the third country in Europe to legalize adult-use marijuana after Malta and Luxembourg.

Now read: The (Possibly) Best and Worst Countries To Get Caught With Pot

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