Students who use drugs or any other illegal substance while abroad are at risk of harming themselves and others as well as being arrested. US law and legal procedures do not protect US citizens abroad. Laws of the host country must be adhered to by University of Richmond students. Penalties for violating the law of another country may be severe. In many countries local laws make no distinction between soft and hard drugs.
Penalties are severe in many countries.
United States laws do not protect Americans abroad who violate foreign laws. Americans must understand that once they are overseas they are subject to the same penalties for drug violations as the nationals of the country they are visiting. Foreign govenments are not more tolerant of drug use, nor are they more permissive in their drug laws. Penalties for possession or trafficking in any kind of drug ranges from two to twenty-five years and include a heavy fine in many countries. Prosecution of offenders is being intensified abroad.