A teacher from the U.S. has been sentenced to 14 years in prison in Russia for “large-scale” cannabis smuggling.
Marc Fogel, an American citizen teaching at the Anglo-American School of Moscow, was detained after cannabis was found in his luggage.
According to CBS News, he was carrying 17 grams of cannabis, which is classified as a significant amount under Russian law.
Fogel said the cannabis was for medical use and that it had been prescribed in the U.S. for pain related to a spinal surgery.
According to the report, Fogel had been working at the U.S. Embassy in Russia, which gave him diplomatic immunity until May 2021.
The latest cannabis-related legal troubles for an American in Russia comes as WNBA star Brittney Griner is still being detained.
Griner has been held since February for accusations of drug smuggling. She was arrested for alleged possession of cannabis oil.
