Hundreds of Albanians Sickened from Cannabis Biz

About 700 people in a remote Albanian village have visited local hospitals since June after becoming ill from "the effects of planting, harvesting, pressing and packing cannabis." Symptoms reported include bouts of vomiting, stomach pain, irregular heartbeats and high blood pressure, according to Reuters.

"In the last two months about seven to eight people arrive in the emergency ward each day and many more have come earlier with disorders from hashish," said Albanian doctor Hysni Lluka, according to Reuters.

The cases have been seen in a hospital near the village of Lazarat, where illegal cannabis cultivation has thrived, and growers have become bold enough to shoot at police officers venturing near their fields, Reuters reported. Surveys from the air suggest half of the country's marijuana is grown in lawless Lazarat.

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