A man who planned to grow more than 300 cannabis plants says he used the drug to self-medicate for depression and anxiety.
But Judge David Smith gave David John Blackburn a timely reminder in the Palmerston North District Court on Tuesday.
"As the law stands at the moment, self-medication by growing cannabis is not permitted."
Police searched Blackburn's Palmerston North home on November 23.
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They found 380 cannabis seedlings in a purpose-built structure at the rear of the house, as well as 202 grams of dry cannabis in the garage.
Blackburn, 31, immediately told police he grew the drugs once a year for his own use and was going to plant the seedlings in the bush.
Straight after the court summary of offending was read out, the judge remarked: "That's a little more than personal use".
Duty lawyer Mark Alderdice replied by saying the charge was about "potentiality over actuality".
There was no guarantee the seedlings would have grown.
"It is a venture where he's relying on luck as to if it was viable or not," Alderdice said.
Blackburn suffered from depression and anxiety and used the drugs to medicate.
"But he accepts what he did was illegal."
He had since self-referred to community-based mental health service Nikau House.
The judge said getting professional help should have been the first port of call.
"Self-medicating with anything is not a good idea."
Growing cannabis had a maximum punishment of seven years' jail, the judge said.
"If you appear on further charges [like these], prison is the most likely result if the law stays as it is at the moment."
Blackburn was sentenced to 12 months' supervision and 100 hours' community work.