As countries around the world have started to relax their laws on medical marijuana, cannabis is still completely outlawed in Serbia. While studies show that the drug—specifically in the form of cannabis oil—can have positive health effects for people suffering from terminal illnesses, doctors in the country remain skeptical.

Serbians looking for an alternative way to treat terminal illnesses like cancer and multiple sclerosis are forced to illegally obtain the highlyexpensive cannabis oil or attempt to make it themselves, despite the threat of jail time.

For this episode of VICE INTL, VICE Serbia speaks with some families who swear by the controversial treatment and spend exorbitant sums of money just to keep their loved ones alive and comfortable at the risk of getting arrested. They also meet a Ministry of Health official who is strongly against legalization, as well as a dealer who explains the cannabis oil extraction process.