Mark Christopher Rowe fined $10k for growing drugs to make medicinal marijuana

A businessman and volunteer claims he had the community’s best interest at heart when he illegally set up a drug growhouse in his backyard.

A Sarina businessman has avoided a jail term and instead been fined a whopping $10,000 after he was caught with a drug growhouse he was planning to cultivate into a range of medicinal marijuana products.

Mackay District Court heard the 51 year old’s intentions were in the “best interest” of the community – but he had not taken any steps to make a legal application.

Instead Mark Christopher Rowe jumped straight to production so he would be ready for any legislative change.

His efforts came undone when police intercepted a package sent in his name containing 36 marijuana seeds, which prompted officers to search his Sarina home on June 8, 2021.

Mark Christopher Rowe was fined $10,000 for a serious drug charges including being busted with more than 15,000 marijuana seeds. Convictions were recorded.

The court heard the 51 year old took police to a greenhouse in the backyard that had 161 plants up to 180cm high, 15,250 marijuana seeds and a range of drug production equipment.

Crown prosecutor Siobhan Harrison said Rowe told the officers “he wanted to get into the business of making medicinal cannabis”.

The court heard he grew the plants and dried them out to make butters and oils.

“He told police he was trying to get ahead of the curve and had not started his application to grow cannabis for medicinal purposes,” Ms Harrison said.

Marijuana plants.

Rowe pleaded guilty to aggravated drug possession, producing and possessing marijuana and possessing things used to produce drugs.

Defence barrister Scott McLennan, instructed by Harvey Legal, said there was no evidence and his client denied any commercial supplies or any intention to supply anything produced in the future pending any legislative change.

The court heard Rowe’s wife had been diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent surgeries, chemotherapy and radiation, which was one of the two reasons behind his interest in medicinal marijuana.

Medicinal marijuana.

Mr McLennan said Rowe had also suffered from depression and anxiety most of his life and had previously self medicated with marijuana and was now legally prescribed medicinal marijuana.

“His motive for the production was to research different strains of cannabis in anticipation of a legislative change about cannabis use,” Mr McLennan said.

“Importantly, in my submission, the research he was doing was to try and prove the CBD levels can decrease the THC … THC is the psychoactive component of cannabis.

“The CBD is what’s used medically … he used the CBD to make the butters and oils.

Rowe wanted to make medicinal marijuana products.

“He wasn’t motivated by greed and … he had the community’s best intention in mind.”

A junior hockey coach and scout volunteer, Rowe has a degree in industrial design and started his own business sub contracting his services to the mines as well as working with a coal terminal in the region.

Judge Deborah Richards said there was a significant amount of marijuana, labelling it “quite a sophisticated set up”.

“Deliberately done, without applying for a licence to grow cannabis for medical purposes,” Judge Richards said.

“You do however have a degree so you’re not stupid.

“So you were well aware that what you were doing was illegal and you were willing to take the risk.

“I’m less sympathetic than I might be if you were someone who is uneducated and just didn’t realise the gravity of what you were doing.”

But Judge Richards ultimately decided not to hand down a penalty that involved jail, instead fining Rowe $10,000 to be paid within six months. Convictions were recorded.

Originally published as Mark Christopher Rowe fined $10k for growing drugs to make medicinal marijuana