Getty Images The daughter of a former RHOBH star was arrested.
The daughter of a former “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star was arrested in the Cayman Islands.
Yolanda Hadid‘s daughter, Gigi Hadid, whose real name is Jelena Noura Hadid, was heading on vacation with her pal, Leah Nicole McCarthy, when both women were taken into custody, accused of being in possession of marijuana, according to Cayman Marl Road. The arrest happened just after Gigi Hadid’s private jet landed at Owen Roberts International Airport General Aviation Terminal, the outlet reported.
Before entering the country, Hadid had to go through customs, where her luggage was scanned, and authorities say they found drugs, according to the outlet. The report indicates that Hadid appeared in court on July 12, 2023, to face charges and was ordered to pay a $1,000 fine.
Heavy has reached out to a rep for Hadid for comment.
Here’s what you need to know:
Gigi Hadid Has a Medical Prescription for Marijuana
Medical marijuana has been legalized in many areas across the globe in recent years, and patients use the drug for all kinds of ailments. For example, the American Cancer Society reports that the drug has been shown to be helpful in “treating nausea and vomiting” in patients receiving chemotherapy for cancer.
Medical marijuana has also been used to treat people who suffer with anxiety.
“THC appears to decrease anxiety at lower doses and increase anxiety at higher doses. CBD appears to decrease anxiety at all doses that have been tested,” the University of Washington reported in 2017.
However, traveling across state or country lines can be challenging because the laws are different all around the world. “Hadid has since claimed she had a medical card,” but it’s not valid in the Cayman Islands, according to Cayman Marl Road.
“Gigi was traveling with marijuana purchased legally in NYC with a medical license. It has also been legal for medical use in Grand Cayman since 2017. Her record remains clear and she enjoyed the rest of her time on the island,” a rep for Hadid told E! News.
Hadid has not released any additional statement on the arrest but did take to Instagram to share some memories from the trip along with the caption, “All’s well that ends well.”
Recreational Use of Cannabis Is Illegal in the Cayman Islands
The use of cannabis for medical purposes was legalized in May 2017, but recreational use of the drug is still against the law, according to Cayman Resident.
“More than 500 patients have been prescribed medical cannabis in Cayman since it was made legal. Here it is primarily used for pain management related to diabetes and multiple sclerosis, and for chemotherapy patients,” the outlet reported.
According to the National Drug Council of the Cayman Islands, marijuana is the “most commonly used illegal substance among students between the ages of 11 and 18.” Consumption is illegal in all forms when it comes to recreational use, including smoking and vaping.
“It is illegal to import or export cannabis in any form across the Cayman border,” the council says — even if a person has a prescription for the drugs in a different country, such as the United States.
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