Reggae legend, Luciano has been forced to cancel tour dates in the United States after his visa to the country was revoked following a luggage check by border officials.
The man universally known as The Messenjah was attempting to cross the U.S. border from Canada on August 25 ahead of the Philadelphia Jerk Festival, which he was scheduled to perform this past Sunday. When he arrived, he was interrogated by border officials who proceeded to search his hand luggage. In said luggage, officials found a herb medicine Luciano insisted he uses for his throat, asking him whether the medicine was prescribed by a doctor. Despite his reasoning, officials deemed the product illegal due to it containing cannibis extracts and sent the entertainer packing.
In a statement about the issue, Luciano explained, “During the search, a mixture that I normally use as a herb medicine for my throat was found and after numerous tests it was claimed to be illegal because it contained cannabis extracts. The herbal liquid was a very small amount (less than one gramme), but as a result my visas were revoked and I was denied entry into the US.”
He added, “I sincerely regret the inconvenience and disappointment that this will cause as I am also deeply devastated. Please pray for me while I face yet another major obstacle in my life.”
Luciano plans to appeal the cancellation, but said this will not affect his other scheduled tours this fall.
His North American tour, which was initially scheduled for September 2 – 17, included dates in California, Washington, Arizona and Oregon with one stop in Canada in British Columbia. He has said, however, that this latest news will not affect his scheduled performances outside the U.S.