A 54-year-old woman has been arrested and charged after allegedly supplying a cake laced with cannabis to a work shared lunch at Hawke’s Bay Hospital.
Police said the woman was due to appear in court next month.
1News understood hospital staff ate the cake laced with cannabis at a shared lunch and returned to work, where people later started feeling the effects.
1News also understood at least two hospital staff members had to be treated in the emergency department as a result.
Health New Zealand has been tight-lipped on details regarding the incident, but advised no clinical staff or senior medical officers were involved. It said it was assisting with the police investigation.
Earlier in the week, Health Minister Simeon Brown said the incident was “completely unacceptable”.
“No clinical staff were involved, Health New Zealand has taken action and police are investigating to follow through on that as well.
“I think it was mostly administrative staff but, as I said, it doesn’t really matter — it’s unacceptable behaviour.”
Health NZ said said it couldn’t comment further as the matter was now before the courts.
