Dr Ian Housego reveals why he grew over 500 marijuana plants at Struck Oil

A popular ex-Army medic and GP across Noosa, Townsville and Central Queensland, sentenced in court for drug crimes, has exclusively defended his decision to grow 675 marijuana plants. VIDEO.

A well-regarded former Army medic, surgeon and Queensland GP not only grew 675 illegal marijuana plants on his rural property, but also does not regret doing so, it can be revealed.

Speaking exclusively with this publication following his sentence in Rockhampton District Court this week, Dr Ian Charles Housego painted himself as a pioneer in pain management, who carried out his farming in “in full knowledge” of its criminality but believing it would soon be legalised.

The 48-year-old, who now works in Brisbane in the medicinal marijuana field, received a suspended jail sentence for producing the drug (the plants weighed in at 83 kilograms) at his Struck Oil property between April 1, 2021, and February 7, 2022.

“I’m just very happy that since my less than legal research was conducted, that society has moved on and that cannabis is now far more accessible to patients in need that’s it was at the time, and there is no longer any need for people to engage in activities such as what I did,” Dr Housego said.

The biggest problem for GPs in the Queensland medical system, he explained, was access to chronic pain specialists, who were only located in Brisbane, and having to balance the needs of the patient, and the time frames upon which it took to get patients in to see these specialists.

Dr Ian Housego has defended growing marijuana after he pleaded guilty to one count of producing a dangerous drug (marijuana) exceeding 500g or more than 100 plants, two of possessing items used the commission of a crime, one of possessing dangerous drugs and one of failing to properly dispose of a needle or syringe.

This was particularly hard for those living in rural Queensland and facing long travel times.

Defence barrister Andrew Hoare had told the court his client’s case was “relatively unique” in that he was a highly skilled doctor, having specialised in reconstruction surgery and dentistry through an Army scholarship, working as a doctor in the defence forces until 2006 in Townsville and East Timor as part of the peacekeeping operation, as well as working as a rural doctor for 15 years.

Mr Hoare said his client had started the production knowing it was illegal, so that he could practice a new skill set in a field in which he intended to work once it was legalised.

The doctor’s medical license was suspended in 2019 – the same year he was first convicted in Rockhampton Magistrates Court for producing 18 plants marijuana and 80 seedlings.

Dr Housego told the court in 2019 he formerly ran a successful medical/dental/cosmetics business in Noosaville, which turned over $200,000 per month, until the death of his partner and practice manager two years prior.

As a result, he had declared bankruptcy by 2019.

Hundreds of locals rallied behind the now former Gracemere GP in September 2020, after he again got into hot water, testing positive to a drug test.

He also worked in Emerald at the hospital prior to his licence suspension.

Mr Hoare said the suspension preceded “him embarking on this course”.

“He believed at that time that he would never be practising medicine again,” he said.

Dr Ian Housego believes medicinal marijuana is essential in treating chronic pain and difficult to access for patients living in rural Queensland.

“He then commenced study in medical cannabis and enrolled in an online course.

“He then set out to develop a skill set within that area in anticipation of legalised cannabis.”

Judge Michael Rackemann said documents before him stated Dr Housego made attempts to legalise his marijuana production.

The court heard Dr Housego’s offending was detected after police intercepted him driving and found small amounts of marijuana in the boot, leading to a search of his Gracemere residence later that day and the discovery of a small plant and grinder.

This then led to police searching Dr Housego’s rural property at Struck Oil where they located a large production area with three main pots housing large and mature marijuana plants, along with six greenhouses and many cultivated patches of dirt.

They also found an irrigation system in place, fed by a 136,274.82 litre water tank connected to a bore pump, along with standard gardening equipment.

The court heard Dr Housego obtained employment in the medical marijuana industry as a pharmaceutical representative eight months ago and now lived in Brisbane.

Mr Hoare said issues around Dr Housego’s medical licence were currently before the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal.

Dr Housego pleaded guilty to one count of producing a dangerous drug, three counts of possessing anything used in a crime and two of possessing illicit drugs.

Judge Rackemann sentenced him to two years prison, wholly suspended and operational for three years.

After court, Dr Housego told this publication he was pleased with the outcome.

He said while the evidence supporting medicinal marijuana’s impact on chronic pain patients was still being gathered, it had been noted “it helps enormously with the quality of life of patients”.

He also said there had been issues for patients in locating a GP who would prescribe medical marijuana as research had not yet proved its benefit for patients “beyond a doubt”.

Another key issue was the cost of medical marijuana exceeding that of the illicit market which was why many patients – 62.4 per cent according to Lambert Initiative’s research published in July 2022- still accessed it via the criminal world, he explained.

His dream was that the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme would subsidise medicinal marijuana.

“The PBS is very strict in its regulations as to what will be subsidised,” Dr Housego explained.

“Interestingly, one of the major companies in Australia recently did a head-to-head trial of cannabis versus Pregabalin, which is a chronic pain medication, and it showed very pleasing results in a small number of patients, but very pleasing statistical results.

“Hopefully, this sort of continued research will allow acceptance among the true medical community.”