HIV Patient Can Grow Medicinal Cannabis, Judge Rules

AMSTERDAM, FEBRUARY 10 – In an historic turn of events, medicinal cannabis patient Rudolf Hillebrand can continue to grow his own, a Dutch judge ruled earlier today.

Cannabis is the only thing that works to reduce Hillenbrand’s nausea, induced by the plentiful amount of HIV medication provided. On average, Hillenbrand requires five grams of cannabis a day. To reduce costs, Hillebrand decided to grow his own cannabis, a total of 24 plants. Dutch law tolerates 5 plants.

After receiving a tip, the police raided his home in December 2014 took 19 plants away.

Hillenbrand decided to go to court to fight for his right and won. The judge ruled in his specific case, Hillenbrand provides a safe way to grow and is allowed to continue to do so.

Thuistelende HIV-patiënt mag bij hoge uitzondering eigen wiet kweken https://t.co/DGTFR6Ux5D pic.twitter.com/oJQnsIqPiC

— AT5 (@AT5) February 10, 2016

His lawyer, Barbalique Peters, told Amsterdam News station AT5: ‘This case does not mean everyone with a serious illness can go ahead and cultivate their own cannabis. This verdict only applies to the case of Hillenbrand’.

The real question now remains what this means for national policy. Hillenbrand is the only exception in addition to a MS patient elsewhere in the Netherlands who are allowed to grow more than five plants at home.

For the complete (in Dutch) verdict, find the case file here.

The Cannabis News Network team was at the courthouse for registration and a video report is in development as we speak. If you want to be notified, make sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel.