Marijuana plants — a rose by any other name

A MERINGANDAN West man found with four marijuana plants growing in a foil lined box in his bedroom told police he thought the seeds that he had planted were roses.

A police search of Nicholas George Smith’s room on the morning of May 9 had found the group of small plants growing in the foil lined box which had a light positioned above them to promote plant growth, Toowoomba Magistrates Court heard.

Despite admitting that he had in the past smoked the drug, the 33-year-old had maintained to police that when he bought the seeds online he believed them to be rose seeds, the court heard.

Police also found a small amount of marijuana in a plastic bag, a bong for smoking the drug and scales for weighing it, police prosecutor Sergeant Natalie Bugden told the court.

Smith pleaded guilty to producing and possessing a dangerous drug and possessing drug related utensils.

His solicitor Brenton Day of TASC (Toowoomba Advocacy and Support Centre) told the court his client had some psychological issues but that he did not have a mental health defence.

The disability pensioner had been attending AODS (Alcohol and Other Drugs Service) for counselling and instructed he had been sober for three months, he said.

Magistrate Damian Carroll noted Smith had ordered the cannabis seeds online and had asked his doctor for medical cannabis but had been told he couldn’t use it.

“You referred to rose seeds but you well knew they were cannabis seeds,” Mr Carroll told the defendant.

Mr Carroll fined Smith $1000.