Last week, Canada made waves when it became the second nation in the world to legalize the recreational use of cannabis. The first country to do so was Uruguay. Canada’s recent legalization has spurred debate around the globe on the decriminalization of weed.
However, one nation is not with the shits in any way. That nation is South Korea. South Korean police have warned citizens who are now in Canada to not indulge in the cheeba smoke or else they will be arrested when they return home. According to Yoon Se-jin, the head of the Narcotics Crime Investigation Division at Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency, weed smoking is a serious offense in South Korea and residents who do smoke weed in Canada are still bound to the laws of their homeland. According to The Korea Times, the lawman said, “Weed smokers will be punished according to the Korean law, even if they did so in countries where smoking marijuana is legal. There won’t be an exception.”
Any of the offenders who are caught will face up to five years in prison. From reports, it is not clear how the Korean government plans to enforce this law. To get the word out, South Korean police plan to hold briefing sessions in Canada and Uruguay the explain the risks of blazing some bud to South Korean residents.
Currently, according to their Ministry of Foreign Affairs, there are 23,000 South Koreans living in Canada with student visas.