As a Cannabis user one should take great care when choosing international borders and airlines to be used in potential travel plans. It is illegal to carry any Cannabis at all across international borders, therefore we at the College feel it is important to repeat what may seem like obvious advice: ensure that all your pockets are emptied as most pockets of bags and luggage are checked thoroughly in countries with strict anti-drug legislation. It may also be a good idea to launder all clothing and bags, etc. that may have contacted any substance deemed to be contraband in your chosen destination. Some country's laws are extremely strict, and those laws apply just as much to people in transit through an airport as those arriving to stay (and also natural citizens). In a few parts of the world it is illegal to enter the country with any Cannabis in your blood or urine, or even a microscopic amount on a piece of clothing. The tiniest trace of Cannabis is enough to get you into serious trouble in some areas of the globe.
United Arab Emirates, for example, impose a mandatory minimum sentence of four years imprisonment for trace elements of a controlled substance, and still practice the death penalty.
In the United Arab Emirates the penalties for drug trafficking, drug smuggling and drug possession of even residual amounts of drugs are severe. There is a zero tolerance policy towards all drugs, including any metabolites found in the system. Care should also be taken about the import of prescription drugs and some over-the-counter drugs, plus dietary supplements. [Source www.fco.gov.uk]
Recently in Dubai a traveller going from Ethiopia to the UK (via Dubai) was arrested for having 0.003g of hashish, invisible to the naked eye, stuck to the bottom of a shoe. Although now released, he spent 9 weeks in prison.
There are many more cases where people have been arrested for miniscule amounts of Cannabis or even poppy seeds left over from lunch. So far this year, eight Brits have already been detained in Dubai, including BBC Drum and Bass DJ Grooverider.
Please take extreme caution when travelling to, or through the United Arab Emirates.
>> Read the full article from the UK Daily Mail
>> Visit www.webehigh.com for more travel information
>> Watch Video of BBC World Fast Track program on drugs in the U.A.E.
>> www.fairtrails.net list of controlled pharmaceutical substances in U.A.E.
Click here for more information regarding Cannabis detection times.
