In a groundbreaking ruling a Dutch court of appeals has decided that a man who is suffering from multiple sclerosis may grow cannabis for personal use to alleviate his pain. The court in Leeuwarden in the north of the country said on 17 October that the interest of the 51 year old patient outweighs the public interest in the current prohibition of growing cannabis.

"This means that other patients may also legally grow their own cannabis," Wim Anker, lawyer of the patient, told the news agency ANP. In 2004, a lower court had sentenced Wim Moorlag and his wife Klasiena Hooijer to pay a fine because of illegal cultivation of cannabis. The couple harvested 300 grams every 15 weeks. Moorlag argued that he could not buy cannabis in a coffee shop because it may be contaminated by fungi and bacteria, which could be dangerous for him as a MS-patient.

More at: http://derstandard.at/?url=/?id=2627586

(Source: Der Standard of 17 October 2006)