Seeing as how the Russian government isn’t exactly known for being permissive or liberal, it comes as particularly shocking that The Moscow Times is reporting that football fans will be allowed to bring marijuana and cocaine to the 2018 FIFA World Cup, as long as they fill out all the necessary paperwork. In case you didn’t know, Russia is set to host the World Cup this year from June 14 to July 15. As a California native, the weed thing doesn’t really faze me, but cocaine!? Aren’t soccer fans rowdy enough? Also, it’s cocaine. Oh, and heroin apparently is cool, too if you have a doctor's note.
According to regulations set forth by the the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union, travelers can bring the aforementioned drugs into the country on the condition that they bring documentation written in the Russian language that the narcotics are for medicinal use. I’m not sure in which country one can get a doctor’s note for blow, and I’m pretty well-traveled. Fans can also bring a certified copy of the “recipe,” notes one Russian news source, Izvestia. They’ll also have to fill out a customs declaration. (Thank God for Google Translate, am I right?) The Russian 2018 World Cup Organizing Committee says on-duty law enforcement at the stadiums will be responsible for checking the legitimacy of the prescriptions. Mind you, smoking of all kinds is still not permitted at any stadium.
For obvious reasons, this news is fishy AF. I can’t help but wonder if it has anything to do with the fact on Feb. 23, Russian authorities squashed an alleged plot in Argentina to flood the country with $61 million worth of cocaine for the internationally anticipated soccer event. Hmmm...
