An Albury schoolboy sold synthetic cannabis by a classmate collapsed, lost consciousness and began to vomit violently within minutes of smoking the drug, a court has heard.
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The 14-year-old dealer, who later admitted to police he made $15 out of the sale, had found the drug in his mother's home.
But both he and the victim, also a Year 9 student at an Albury secondary school, thought the two grams of the drug was real cannabis, not the synthetic concoction it turned out to be.
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The boy, now 15, pleaded guilty in Albury Children's Court on Monday to supplying a small quantity of a prohibited drug.
Supported in court by his guardian, the boy was placed on a four-month good behaviour bond after magistrate Richard Funston accepted what he did that day was "the only hiccup" in his life recently.
Defence lawyer Mitchell Irwin earlier explained that his client decided to take his mother's cannabis to sell because he was desperate to help his father, who was homeless and struggling financially.
"He's certainly remorseful," Mr Irwin said.
And he said the victim understood the teenager "didn't do this with any malicious intent".
Mr Funston told the boy it was clear he was now "doing really well".
"You haven't had the best start but there's no reason you're not going to have a good life," he said, pointing out there was also no reason why he couldn't even one day work towards being prime minister.
Police told the court how the victim and eight other students from his year level walked to a nearby laneway on June 1 about 9am.
After smoking the cannabis, the victim "had a severe adverse reaction" and collapsed on the ground, losing consciousness.
An adult known by one of the group was contacted as was the school principal, who rushed to the scene to help.
As he was attending to him, the boy suffered from ongoing vomiting.
Police arrived soon after and found the two grams of synthetic cannabis in a resealable plastic bag in the victim's school bag.
He was taken to Albury hospital then discharged at 4.30pm.
That same day, the principal spoke to the other boy about his possible involvement.
He owned-up to what he did and also made full admissions on going to Albury police station with his guardian.
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