California just made the recreational sale of marijuana legal on January first, but for non-citizens looking to buy, there’s a catch.
An article in the San Diego Union Tribune revealed that for non U.S. citizens, marijuana could be risky if they choose to partake in the drug.
The article explains that under the federal law in the U.S., marijuana is still illegal.
The Tribune stated, “It doesn’t take a conviction for using it to affect a non-citizen’s future. If a port official finds out that someone entering the US with a visa has used the drug, the official can ban the person from the country for life.”
“One of the grounds for inadmissibility is whether you are a drug abuser or drug addict,” remarked immigration lawyer Andrew Nietor to the Tribune.
“The big problem right now is that there is so much confusion that someone could engage in an activity that involves them getting a license from the state, and the Federal Government could say that activity is unlawful and result in permanent exile from the US.
“That is interpreted fairly conservatively. Any admission of prior drug use will often lead to a presumption that the person has a controlled substance problem.”
