Russia's Cannabis Laws: Griner's Unfortunate Misstep

In February 2022, American basketball star Brittney Griner was arrested at a Moscow airport after Russian authorities found vape cartridges containing cannabis oil in her luggage. Griner admitted to carrying the drugs but said she had no intention of breaking the law. However, she was convicted of drug possession and smuggling and sentenced to nine years in prison. The case sparked controversy, with some arguing that Griner was wrongfully detained and used as a political pawn, while others maintained that she broke Russian law and should face the consequences.

Brittney Griner was found with vape cartridges containing hash oil

The vape cartridges contained 0.702 grams of hash oil, which is a cannabis derivative. In Russia, it is illegal to possess any amount of cannabis. Possession of less than 6 grams of cannabis or 2 grams of hash can result in a fine or up to 15 days in jail. Possessing more than this amount is a more serious criminal offence.

Griner was accused of possessing less than a gram of hash oil. She pleaded guilty to the charges, but maintained that she had no intention of breaking Russian law. She said that she had packed the vape canisters in her luggage in haste and that she was aware that cannabis oil was outlawed in Russia.

Griner was convicted of drug possession and smuggling and sentenced to nine years in prison. Her lawyers appealed the sentence, but it was upheld by a Russian court. She was eventually released in December 2022 as part of a prisoner swap between the US and Russia.

She was charged with possession without intent to sell

Brittney Griner, a WNBA star and two-time Olympic gold medalist, was charged with possession without intent to sell after she was found carrying vape cartridges containing cannabis oil in her luggage at a Moscow airport in February 2022. Griner, who was returning to Russia to rejoin her offseason team, was detained and later charged under Russian drug laws.

Under Russian law, cannabis is illegal. Possession of less than 6 grams of cannabis or 2 grams of hashish can result in a fine or jail time of up to 15 days. However, possessing larger amounts becomes a more serious criminal offence. In Griner's case, she was accused of having less than a gram of hashish oil, which is a controlled substance in Russia.

During her trial, Griner pleaded guilty to the charge of possession without intent to sell. She acknowledged that she had the canisters in her luggage but stated that she had no intention of breaking Russian law. Griner's legal team emphasized that her decision to plead guilty was informed and that she took full responsibility for her actions. They hoped that the plea would be considered as a mitigating factor by the court and result in a less severe sentence.

The defence argued that Griner was using medicinal cannabis to manage chronic pain and injuries sustained during her basketball career. They presented a letter from her doctor to support this claim. Griner also testified that she was aware that cannabis oil was illegal in Russia and had not intended to break the law or smuggle drugs into the country. She attributed the presence of the vape canisters in her luggage to hasty packing before her flight.

Despite Griner's plea and explanations, the Russian court found her guilty of drug possession and smuggling. She was sentenced to nine years in prison and fined 1 million rubles (approximately $16,700). This sentence was close to the maximum of 10 years that Griner faced under the charges. The severity of the sentence sparked criticism and concerns about political motivations, especially given the tense relations between the US and Russia over the Ukraine conflict.

The case attracted significant attention and pressure from US officials, athletes, and supporters, who advocated for Griner's release. Eventually, Griner was released in December 2022 as part of a prisoner exchange between the US and Russia, involving the notorious Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.

She was charged with travelling into Russia with a controlled substance

Brittney Griner, a WNBA star and two-time Olympic gold medalist, was arrested in February 2022 at a Moscow airport after Russian authorities found vape cartridges containing cannabis oil in her luggage. Griner was travelling to Russia to rejoin her offseason team, UMMC Ekaterinburg, and had been competing in the country since 2014.

In Russia, cannabis is illegal. Possession of less than 6 grams of cannabis or 2 grams of hash can result in a fine or jail time of up to 15 days. Possessing larger amounts is considered a more serious criminal offence. Griner was accused of carrying less than a gram of hash oil, which is a form of hashish or hash—a drug made by compressing the parts of the cannabis plant that contain the highest levels of THC.

Griner admitted to carrying the vape cartridges, but maintained that she had no intention of breaking Russian law. She pleaded guilty to two charges: possession without intent to sell and travelling into Russia with a controlled substance. The second charge, which is typically referred to as "trafficking" or "smuggling" in U.S. media, is simply that she entered the country's borders with a banned substance. This charge carries a harsher penalty, with a minimum sentence of five years and a maximum of 10 years in prison.

Griner's case has raised questions about whether her arrest and detention were politically motivated, as tensions between the U.S. and Russia were high due to the war in Ukraine. Despite these speculations, Griner's actions did violate Russian law regarding the possession and transportation of controlled substances.

Griner pleaded guilty but said she had no intent to break the law

Brittney Griner, a US basketball star, was detained in February 2022 at Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport. The Russian authorities found vape cartridges containing cannabis oil in her luggage, which is illegal in Russia. Griner was charged with drug possession and smuggling and faced up to 10 years in prison.

On July 7, 2022, Griner pleaded guilty to the drug charges in a Russian court. However, she denied any intention of breaking the law. "I'd like to plead guilty, your honour. But there was no intent. I didn't want to break the law," she stated. Griner also requested more time to prepare her testimony.

Griner's lawyers aimed for a lenient sentence, emphasizing that she had no intention of breaking Russian law and that the amount of the substance was insignificant. They argued that Griner's positive contributions to global and Russian sports should be considered.

Despite Griner's guilty plea, the US State Department maintained its position that she was unlawfully detained. US President Joe Biden denounced the verdict and sentence, calling for Griner's immediate release. The case sparked tensions between the US and Russia, with concerns that Moscow could use Griner as a bargaining chip in negotiations.

Griner's supporters, including family, lawmakers, and the basketball community, advocated for her freedom. She was eventually released in December 2022 as part of a prisoner swap between the US and Russia.

The case of Brittney Griner highlights the complex nature of international relations and the challenges faced by athletes and citizens when navigating different legal systems and cultural contexts.

She was sentenced to nine years in prison

Brittney Griner was sentenced to nine years in prison in Russia for violating the country's drug laws. Griner, a WNBA star and two-time Olympic gold medalist, was arrested in February 2022 at a Moscow airport after vape cartridges containing cannabis oil were found in her luggage. Cannabis is illegal in Russia, and Griner was charged with drug possession and smuggling.

During her trial, Griner pleaded guilty to the charges but maintained that she had no intention of breaking Russian law. She claimed that she brought the vape cartridges into Russia because she had packed in haste for her flight. Griner's lawyers argued that she was using medicinal cannabis for chronic pain and injuries sustained during her basketball career. They also introduced a letter from her doctor to support this claim.

Despite Griner's plea and explanations, the Russian court handed down a sentence of nine years in prison, close to the maximum of ten years that she faced under the charges. The severity of the sentence sparked outrage and criticism, particularly in the United States, where many believed that Griner was being used as a political pawn in the tense relations between the two countries.

The case attracted significant attention and led to calls for Griner's release from detention. Eventually, Griner was released in December 2022 as part of a prisoner swap between the United States and Russia, with Griner exchanged for Viktor Bout, a Russian arms dealer imprisoned in the U.S.

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