A Norwegian tourist was recently denied entry to the United States after admitting to past marijuana use, despite consuming it in countries where the substance isn’t illegal.
Mads Mikkelsen was stopped at a port of entry in New Jersey earlier this month by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers. He told Norwegian outlet Nordlys that after being questioned, he acknowledged using marijuana in Mexico and Germany—both of which have legalized or decriminalized cannabis to some extent.
“It’s legal in both places, so in my mind it was irrelevant,” Mikkelsen said. “It’s a legal substance where it was taken, just like alcohol.”
The case garnered international attention when it was initially reported that CBP agents turned Mikkelsen away because of a meme of Vice President J.D. Vance that was found on his phone. However, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) later denied that, issuing a statement saying, “Claims that Mads Mikkelsen was denied entry because of a meme are unequivocally FALSE. TRUTH: Mikkelsen was refused entry into the U.S. for his admitted drug use.”
According to Mikkelsen, the denial document he received also falsely stated that he held a Spanish passport—he says he is a Norwegian citizen who has never been to Spain—and that he possessed a marijuana pipe, though he claims agents merely found a photo of one on his phone.
While marijuana use remains federally illegal in the U.S., CBP’s decision highlights a growing legal disconnect. Even CBP’s own employment policies only disqualify applicants if they’ve used a controlled substance within three years.
