DUBAI // A university student will spend four years in jail for possession of marijuana.
M A, from Saudi Arabia, denied the charge in Dubai Criminal last December and claimed he took the drug for medicinal purposes.
The 25-year-old was arrested as he arrived at Dubai International Airport on October 13.
Customs inspectors suspected he was carrying banned substances.
The student told the court that he had started using marijuana while studying in the United States.
“I live and study in the US. My graduation is in seven months, and because I suffer from some psychological problems I have been using marijuana as a treatment,” he said.
After being arrested, M A was referred to the criminal laboratory for a urine test and the results came back negative.
However, tests carried out on a substance found in his possession proved it was marijuana, some of it disguised as sweets and some of it in a powdered form.
Records showed that he had 975.8 grams of marijuana.
He will be deported after serving his term, which can be appealed within 15 days.
salamir@thenational.ae
