title: Cannabis body packing: two case reports.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Body packing is a well-known means of narcotic carriage across international borders. The most common drugs carried are cocaine and heroin.
  
  
  METHODS
  We describe 2 cases of cannabis body packing which occurred the same year in the South of France, one with complications: a 45-year-old male went to emergency for abdominal pain. A plain abdominal x-ray revealed multiple foreign bodies in the gastrointestinal tract. It was confirmed by abdominal CT. The laparatomy confirmed peritonitis secondary to colonic perforation, and 34 filled condoms packages were extracted. After calling poison centre, toxicological analysis was performed on one package. The resin wrapped in cellophane contained 15% tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). The patient was discharged on day 12.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cannabis body packing is rarely reported, and the only known complications have a mechanic etiology. Plain abdominal x-ray is the best method for detection and it can be confirmed by abdominal CT and toxicological analysis. Cannabis is the most important illicit drug used in the word. Also cannabis body packing is probably underestimated. Health care practitioners should be aware of the possibility of body packing when someone coming back from abroad complains of abdominal pain.
authors.affiliation: CEIP-Addictovigilance, Hôpital Timone, 264 Rue Saint-Pierre, Marseille, 13005 France. michel.spadari@ap-hm.fr
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Spadari
authors.forename: Danielle
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Canioni
authors.forename: Emilie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gregoire
authors.forename: Geneviève
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Drouet
authors.forename: Jean Hubert
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Bourdon
authors.forename: Jocelyne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Arditti
authors.forename: Joelle
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Micallef
mesh_terms: D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D000328:Adult; D002188:Cannabis; D017280:Condoms; D003415:Crime; D004349:Drug Packaging; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography