Cannabis operation a real labour of love

With photos of mature high-grade cannabis plants decorating the walls and the sounds of classical music playing softly in the background, a New Plymouth woman ensured the best of growing conditions to nurture her indoor plants.

The New Plymouth District Court heard yesterday how mother of four Zarah Murphy, of New Plymouth, had cultivated the 20 cannabis plants in the specially-decorated room away from her children, aged from three to 11.

She set up the room with pretty pictures of healthy plants on the walls as role models for her cannabis and played them "nice classical music", Murphy's lawyer Pamela Jensen said.

"She must be smoking a hell of a lot," Judge Allan Roberts commented to chuckles from those in court.

Ms Jensen said her client admitted growing the plants, but did so for her own use alone. She used the drug as a medicine to treat her diagnosed post-traumatic stress disorder.

The solo parent was undergoing psychotherapy for her condition and was doing well, Ms Jensen said.

It was possible she would attend drug counselling in future, she told the judge.

Judge Roberts said it was not for him to lecture Murphy about her responsibilities as a mother.

The converted room was a "pretty good effort" in which to grow her plants, the judge remarked. She was sentenced to 250 hours' community work including the remission of her unpaid fines of $1235.

- © Fairfax NZ News