MEN IN COURT FOR FEEDING CANNABIS COOKIES TO MORMONS

Two unsuspecting Mormon missionaries ended up in hospital after munching
their way through a pile of cannabis cookies during a home visit, a
Melbourne court was told today.

One of the 19-year-old missionaries thought he'd been gassed when he started
shaking uncontrollably, couldn't see or hear properly and finally blacked
out.

Douglas Lynch, 40, and Alexander McLean, 46, appeared in Dandenong
Magistrate's Court charged over offering the Mormons the cookies at a house
at Mount Waverley on May 19.

Missionary Tom Pettit said he and his companion went to the house to see a
man called Doug whom they had met in the street a week earlier.

Mr Pettit, a US citizen in Australia to perform religious duties for the
Church of Latter Day Saints, said they were offered a batch of 30 freshly
baked small chocolate cookies which were about the size of 20 cent pieces.

They each ate 10 to 12 cookies in about 10 minutes while their hosts ate
three or four, Mr Pettit said.

And as the missionaries left the house they were given three or four more
cookies before proceeding to cycle home.

Mr Pettit said about an hour later he started to feel unwell.

Lynch and McLean pleading not guilty to charges including recklessly causing
injury and introducing a drug of dependence into the body of another.

Lynch is pleading guilty to cultivated narcotic plants, possession of and
use of cannabis.

The hearing is continuing.