Lisa Marie Wicks' spiral into drug addiction and trafficking was described in Brisbane Supreme Court on Thursday.

"This court hears sad stories about drug addiction on a daily basis," defence barrister Patrick Wilson said.

"The way in which she (Wicks) came here is particularly tragic."

Wicks, 35, was on track to become a registered nurse and had no drug history until she was introduced to methamphetamine by a friend after personal tragedy.

She had endured two abusive relationships with drug addicts including her husband who died at 39 in 2016, the court heard.

"She found it (drug use) essentially papered over the emotional issues which had developed as a result of these two relationships of abuse and personal tragedy," Mr Wilson said.

"She took to the substance (meth) quite readily."

Within months she became a daily ice user and turned to trafficking to maintain her habit, the court heard.

Overall she sold largely meth and cannabis for almost seven months from April 2021.

However, her offending was only discovered after police arrived to assist when Wicks was involved in a single vehicle incident in Brisbane in September 2021.

Among the items officers found in her car were cocaine, cannabis, 6.5g of pure meth, MMDA and about $6000 cash.

They also discovered evidence of trafficking on her phone and searched her home where more items were discovered.

She was arrested and released on bail.

However, her drug trafficking escalated, the court heard.

The next month Wicks was again arrested and released on bail when more than 20g of pure meth and about $300 cash were among items found by police in her car.

She has been in custody since November 2021 after her home was again searched by police.

They found about 66g of pure meth in a grocery bag and another 24g in her handbag.

Items such as a handgun, ammunition, about $14,000 in cash and cannabis were also discovered.

Wicks also admitted selling meth to two men and letting them use it at her residence with children present, the court heard.

She has all but abandoned her dream of becoming a registered nurse because it is now "impossible" due to her offending, Mr Wilson said.

However, Wicks believed the time she had spent in custody was something she needed, the defence barrister told the court.

It helped her realise she was turning to drugs to self-medicate but was now receiving the mental health treatment she needed after being diagnosed with depression and anxiety, he said.

Wicks on Thursday pleaded guilty to almost 30 charges including trafficking a dangerous drug.

Justice Soraya Ryan sentenced her to four-and-a-half years in prison.

Wicks is eligible for parole immediately, with her 430 days spent in custody declared time served.

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Australian Associated Press