Albanian Parliament legalizes medical cannabis despite harsh opposition

TIRANA, Albania (AP) — The Albanian Parliament has legalized cannabis for medical purposes in a country once known as a European crossroads for marijuana trafficking. The Parliament voted 69-23 to allow limited and controlled growth of cannabis plants, a move harshly contested by the opposition. It was not clear how the medical cannabis will be regulated. The government believes that allowing limited production of cannabis can boost tax revenue. Marijuana growing flourished in Albania in the past as drug traffickers exploited a lack of strong governance in the post-Communist country. Albania is still a main route for trafficking hard drugs.