15 Jul 2025

Cannabis cake taken to shared lunch at Hawke's Bay Hospital

1:29 pm on 15 July 2025
RNZ/Reece Baker

Photo: RNZ / REECE BAKER

Police are investigating after two hospital staff ended up in ED after eating a cannabis cake, Health Minister Simeon Brown says.

TVNZ reports the cake was brought to a shared staff lunch by an employee.

Police have confirmed they are looking into an incident at Hawke's Bay Hospital on 30 June.

"We took this incident extremely seriously and acted immediately to ensure appropriate steps were taken," Health New Zealand Rika Hentschel said.

"No clinical staff or Senior Medical Officers were involved."

Brown told media the staff involved were administrative staff.

"Totally unacceptable behaviour," he said.

Brown said he didn't know if the person who brought the cake to the shared lunch was still employed.

"Ultimately, it's an employment matter and i'm not responsible for such matters, but it's been taken incredibly seriously," he said.

The staff members who were taken to ED had been treated, he said.

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