‘A lot of people in my position’: Man blasts CBD oil price

A man caught growing cannabis said he could not afford a prescription for medical marijuana.

A pair of Laidley brothers pleaded guilty to a string of drug offences after they were caught growing marijuana in the garage.

TWO brothers who were caught growing marijuana at their home told police it was so they could produce medicinal cannabis oil.

When they searched their Laidley home on May 7, police found Robert, 34, and Owen, 28, Wills had a hydroponic garden set up in which nine marijuana plants were growing.

Gatton Magistrates Court heard both brothers were home at 10.50am, when police arrived.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Alister Windsor described how the garage was housing a hydroponic set up.

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“This consisted of grow tents, a total of nine plants had been cultivated in there, which appeared to be matured,” Sgt Windsor said.

“There were lights illuminating, fans going for exhaust.”

Inside a freezer, police found a marijuana seed and frozen leaves.

“According to the defendants, to be used for the extraction of cannabis oil,” Sgt Windsor said.

“There was also leaf material found in the garage amounting to 20 grams, being cannabis.”

The court heard how police found thermometers, growing nutrients and other drug-related tools during the search.

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Both brothers pleaded guilty to a string of drug-related charges.

Duty lawyer James Ryan said three of the plants were seedlings, three were in flower and three were mid-growth.

He said the brothers had been trying to make CBD oil from the plants to help manage mental health issues.

“While medical CBD is available, it’s prohibitively expensive for a lot of people,” Mr Ryan said.

Robert told Magistrate Peter Saggers he had been struggling with his mental health for his entire life and no legal medication had been able to help him.

“It’s not able to happen because they don’t agree with my brain chemistry,” Robert said.

“There are a lot of people like me in my position – we can’t to get on medical cannabis because of the price.”

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He said he had tried to work with psychiatrists for 20 years but had given up on medication five years ago.

“I just smoke a little bit of marijuana after I get home from work rather than having a drink and I’m level all day, every day,” he said.

“If I have the pills, I’ll be sleeping all day or I’ll feel aggressive.”

Mr Saggers told Robert he understood his reasoning but said it didn’t excuse the offence.

He fined them $900 each and recorded a conviction for both brothers.

Read more stories by Ebony Graveur.

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