Graduate Student Who Shared 'Cannabis Jelly' with Acquaintance Receives Fine on Appeal

A graduate student who consumed jelly containing cannabis and shared it with acquaintances has been sentenced to a fine on appeal.

Seoul Eastern District Court building. Photo by Yonhap News

The Criminal Appellate Division 1-1 of the Seoul Eastern District Court (Presiding Judge Maeng Hyeonmu) on September 18 overturned the original sentence of two years in prison with three years of probation for Oh, a 27-year-old graduate student charged with violating the Narcotics Control Act (cannabis), and instead imposed a fine of 20 million won.

Previously, prosecutors appealed, arguing that the suspended sentence in the first trial was too lenient since Oh distributed the cannabis jelly for free and allowed a third party to consume it. Oh's side also appealed, claiming the sentence was too harsh, resulting in a cross-appeal.

The court stated, "Although the nature of the crime is not minor, as the cannabis jelly was consumed by a third party, we took into account that the defendant admitted the crime, is remorseful, and is a first-time offender. Considering that Oh is in his twenties and at the beginning of his career, we have chosen to impose a fine in light of his future."

Oh was indicted on charges of consuming cannabis jelly near a club in Mapo-gu, Seoul in December 2023 and later, in March of the following year, giving the remaining jelly to an acquaintance.

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