Oil burn victim admits drug use

HOSPITAL DASH: Featherston fire brigade volunteers and Life Flight crew transport Nicholas Meyer to Hutt Hospital, after he burned himself with cannabis oil. PHOTO/FILE.

A man who drove 8km to Featherston in agony after burning himself with cannabis oil has owned up to drug use.

Nicholas Christopher Meyer appeared in Whanganui District Court last week and pleaded guilty to two drugs charges.

In February, when Meyer was working as a farm labourer near Featherston, he had cannabis leaf in a frying pan on the kitchen stove and was trying to extract the oil when it caught fire.

Meyer was burned and drove 8km in agonising pain from his Western Lake Rd address to the Featherston township to get help.

A Times-Age reporter saw Meyer in a T-shirt and shorts, sobbing and crying in pain and being comforted by several staff from both Featherston Lotto and Post and Gusto Cafe and Bakery on Fitzherbert St. They poured buckets of water over his back and feet, immersed his hands in water and soaked him with wet towels.

Staff said later the man was in such pain he couldnt talk.

The Featherston Volunteer Fire Brigade, who were first to attend, praised the staff for their quick thinking and action in cooling the man down.

He was taken by helicopter to Hutt Hospital.

Police were notified and found 10 cannabis seeds when they went to the property.

Meyers lawyer Richard Leith said his client had lost his job because of his injuries and was on ACC.

Judge David Cameron convicted and sentenced Meyer to 75 hours community work and ordered the destruction of any drug-related paraphernalia.

Additional reporting, Wanganui Chronicle.