Police launch investigation after cannabis cake disrupts shared lunch at New Zealand hospital
Two staff members are currently being investigated in New Zealand after a cannabis cake was brought to a shared lunch at a hospital.
On June 30th, the staff at Hawke’s Bay Hospital, which is situated on the country’s east coast, gathered for an innocent lunch at the facility. This was likely designed to be a bonding exercise for staff members, but two colleagues had other ideas for the occasion, and two people were taken to the emergency department after consuming the poisoned food.
The fallout from the incident has led to an intervention from the country’s Health Minister, Simeon Brown, which is a sign of how serious the debacle has become in New Zealand.
While discussing the saga with local media, Brown revealed it was the administrative staff that are suspected of being the guilty parties. He said: “No clinical staff were involved, but totally unacceptable behaviour. I understand Health NZ are taking it incredibly seriously and police are also investigating.”
According to Brown, it remains unknown whether the suspected culprits have lost their jobs or are still employed. He stated, “Ultimately, it’s an employment matter, and I’m not responsible for such matters, but it’s been taken incredibly seriously.”
The police are yet to offer any updates on the investigation, and while it’s a unique, rare offence, it could lead to a prison sentence.
Astonishingly, there is a legal precedent regarding bringing a cannabis cake to a shared staff lunch. In 2018, an Auckland man was sentenced to 22 months in prison for a similar crime, which resulted in nine colleagues needing medical assistance at the hospital.
As of writing, the two suspected culprits have not been named.