Rodents and other little critters are always a concern for farmers. These unwanted visitors tend to munch on crops and could even spread diseases. But in an unexpected twist, a mouse had an amusing encounter with a field of cannabis in New Brunswick, Canada, where cannabis is legal. The tiny intruder was found among the plants, lying on its back, looking “stoned” and passed out.
Finding a “Stoned” Mouse on a Stack of Cannabis Leaves
Colin Sullivan, the owner, noticed this little rodent snatching leaves from his plants for two consecutive days. He captured pictures of the mouse nibbling on its personal stash before it felt the effects of the cannabis. The rodent was then discovered lying on a pile of leaves, completely knocked out.
Sullivan decided to give the mouse a little “detox” session, placing it in a cage until it got back to its normal self. Just six days later, the mouse was ready to head back into the wild.
Sullivan shared this hilarious experience on Facebook: “For two days in a row I’ve caught this little pothead taking leaves off of my plant and eating them until he passes out.
“He’s missing an ear, so it might be self-medication for his PTSD, but I still think it’s time for an intervention. I’ll let him sleep this one off, but when he wakes up, he’s getting a real stern talking to.”
He updated his followers a few days later when the mouse was still in the Perspex cage. He said: “So it’s been a couple of rough days for our little baked buddy here and despite a belly ache and a wicked bad case of the munchies I think he’ll make a full recovery.”
“He’s been weaned to one medium leaf per day and seems to be adjusting well. One day at a time my friend, one day at a time.”
Three days after that, the mouse was released from “rehab.” Sullivan announced the good news, along with some clever puns:
“On The Rodent To Redemption.
“After a long and desperate battle with addiction, this little mouse has grinded up his struggle, picked out the seeds and stems and is ready to roll out. Weed all benefit from joining together to help the smoke clear in any addict’s life. He did his very cannibest and was awarded his first Twelve Step chip.
“I may have been the one to open his cage but he was the one who set himself free. So long my friend, till we meet again.”
The “Stoner Mouse” Goes Viral
The initial Facebook post received over 461 thousand shares, and Sullivan’s final update gained over 6.4 thousand shares and 1.5 thousand comments. The comments were filled with appreciative laughs and shared jokes.
Cody Myshrall commented: “I’m happy to hear about his recovery.”
Rhyll O’Keefe added: “I can just hear Cheech the mouse going … “’that was some trip, man … don’t know where I was… but I ended up in jail.’”
Wendy Chaplin said: “Withdrawal is hard! Thanks for caring for the little stoner!”
Sullivan himself is no stranger to substance detox. Amid the mouse saga, he posted a heartfelt tribute to his wife, Robyn Sullivan, whom he credited with saving his life and being a major reason for his continued sobriety.
Many commenters on the post mentioned that they “came for the stoner mouse” but were touched by the beautiful message and congratulated Sullivan on his sobriety.
Cannabis’s Legal Status in New Brunswick
Since 2018, cannabis has been legal in Canada, though each province and territory manages it differently. The New Brunswick government states on its website: “With our decisions, actions, and legislation, we are building a culture that is safe, legal, responsible, and limited to adults. We are prioritizing public health education and awareness while taking advantage of the economic opportunity this new industry presents.”
In New Brunswick, individuals must be 19 years or older to consume cannabis. It can only be sold by licensed retailers, and one can possess a maximum of 30 grams at a time. It’s also illegal to consume cannabis in public or while in a vehicle. Landlords can restrict tenants from smoking or growing cannabis, but if they allow tobacco smoking, they cannot prohibit cannabis smoking.
The government emphasizes, “It is important that New Brunswickers understand the risks in order to make informed decisions on their personal cannabis use.”
