Phil Rudd’s lawyer is hinting that he may appeal the rock star’s first time cannabis conviction. Community magistrate Robyn Paterson convicted Rudd on a cannabis possession charge in the Tauranga District Court this week.
Phil Rudd outside the courthouse where he was convicted on a cannabis possession charge.
“We are looking at our options,” says lawyer Craig Tuck.
“We will regroup later in the week.”
Rudd, a drummer for Aussie rock band AC/DC was convicted on his first drugs possession charge on Wednesday.
Police found a total of 27 grams of cannabis when they searched Phil’s boat, Barchetta, at the Tauranga Bridge Marina on October 7.
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STACEY KIRK - Manawatu Standard
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It's what all the coolest kiwis are doing these days, but Lil-Mo has found herself in rock rehab after taking in too many stones.
Massey University New Zealand Wildlife Centre vet Lisa Argilla said Lil-Mo was monitored for it regularly. "Mo suffered a penetrating wound a few years ago in about 2007 and, because of it, she's suffered some pancreatic damage as well as damage to her small intestine.
"It's normal for kiwis to eat rocks, but the problem with Mo is because of that damage, she isn't passing them as fast as she should be."
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/4396585/Passive-cannabis-smoker-fo...
A Wellington woman was acquitted of drugged-driving after a judge accepted the cannabis in her blood came from passive smoking at a party.
Aileen Rona Nadene Edmonds was pulled over by police in Victoria St in central Wellington on November 27 last year after an off-duty officer reported her car weaving across lanes on State Highway 2 and nearly hitting barriers.
She passed a roadside alcohol breath test but police said her speech was slurred, her eyes were glazed and she was sluggish.
She was taken to Wellington Central police station for a drug impairment test. A blood sample was taken and cannabis was detected.
Earlier that night she had drunk a couple of ready-mixed vodka drinks with friends in Naenae over several hours. Cannabis was being smoked in the same room.
Crackdown on prescription drugs
Police have arrested 13 people following a year-long police operation targeting prescription drugs in Oamaru.
Detective Sergeant Mike Ryder, the officer in charge of Operation Nest, said 13 people were arrested this morning - eight from Oamaru and five from out of town, including the greater Auckland area and Whakatane.
The drugs involved in the operation included methadone and Ritilan.
A French farmer has been given a one-month suspended jail sentence and fined 500 euros (£428) for feeding his ducks marijuana to rid them of worms.
Police arrested Michel Rouyer after they discovered 12 cannabis plants and about 5kg (11lb) of the drug during a visit to his home after a theft.
Mr Rouyer said there was "no better worming substance" for ducks and that his flock was in excellent health.
A police spokesman said it was the first time they had heard such a claim.
Police storm wrong house
http://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/news/4362228/Police-storm-wrong-house
Armed police stormed into the wrong house in New Plymouth yesterday, startling an elderly man who was minding his own business.
They later blamed the mistake on a map error.
Ten members of the armed offenders squad smashed through the rear windows of a Housing New Zealand unit on Glenpark Ave while searching for illegal firearms.
How Marijuana Got Mainstreamed
Even with a decent supply of high-grade pot in her walk-in freezer, Jenelise Robinson, 35, can scarcely keep up with demand. The growth of her 16-month-old Denver business, Nancy B's Edible Medicine, has come with the explosion in the number of Colorado's medical-marijuana dispensaries, or centers. Coloradans who are recommended by a doctor and approved by the state go to the centers to buy their pot, either in traditional bud form or as an "infused product" like Robinson's lemon bars, which are 100% organic and laced with a marijuana concentrate.
Chance visit brings cannabis haul
http://www.stuff.co.nz/timaru-herald/news/4352296/Chance-visit-brings-cannabis-haul
A chance visit by police to a Timaru address has led to a major cannabis bust – the second in such circumstances this year.
Sergeant Greg Sutherland went to the Timaru property to issue the 48-year-old owner with a summons for driving while his licence was suspended, and came away with cash and drugs worth over $32,000.
Mr Sutherland smelled cannabis and opted to search the property. Found in the house were 56 deal bags of cannabis, with a likely street value of $300 each, and $17,000 in cash. Mr Sutherland said the cash was primarily in large bills, $50 and $100 notes.
"It was not cannabis smoke, but the smell of the physical cannabis," Mr Sutherland said, that alerted him to the presence of the drug.
About 1.5 kilograms of cannabis, with a street value of $15,000, was found.
Police say 'legal high' ingredients lawful
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/4347807/Police-say-legal-high-ingredients-lawful
ESR testing of a cannabis substitute that Invercargill teenagers have been smoking and getting high on, had revealed its ingredients were legal, a police boss said yesterday.
Invercargill parents last month said their teenagers were getting stoned on a legal high called kronic that was being sold in Invercargill convenience stores.
Southland police area commander, Inspector Barry Taylor expressed concern about kronic, so referred the matter to police national headquarters in Wellington.
Yesterday, Mr Taylor said he had been informed kronic's ingredients were legal.
"Kronic has been tested bythe ESR and all ingredients are legal, therefore there are no legal powers that the police can utilise."
Two sides of the marijuana reform debate faced off in Dunedin yesterday, with both agreeing on some points, but disagreeing overall.
Designed to allow people to make an informed decision about the decriminalisation of marijuana, particularly medicinal marijuana, the debate attracted about 60 people.
Northeast Valley Community Constable Julian Real, speaking for the anti-decriminalisation team, started by admitting to using "a lot of cannabis" before he joined the police force.
However, he believed it was a harmful drug, especially for young people, and should not be promoted through decriminalisation.
When questioned about the harm of alcohol compared to marijuana, his answer was simple: "Should we not work on restricting alcohol rather than promoting cannabis?"
On the pro-decriminalisation team was Dr Geoff Noller, who talked about his University of Otago PhD research on the culture of marijuana use, which revealed that drug users, rather than using it "open slather", considered its harmful effects as well as its benefits.
He acknowledged the harmful effects of marijuana, but also noted there were pleasures and medical advantages of smoking the drug.
"We need good policy that works and positively results in reducing harm," he said.
