Philip Antony Bevington: “The law is unjust, inhumane and lacking in compassion”

An 81-year-old pensioner, who grew cannabis to treat his chronic kidney disease, has described UK law as “unjust” and “inhumane”.

When Cannabis Health first spoke to Philip Antony Bevington in September 2020, the then 80-year-old had just found out that charges were being brought against him for growing cannabis at his home in Cornwall.

Philip – who is better known to many as Tony – was anxiously awaiting a court date, uncertain of what the future held.

He said he was unable to eat properly, couldn’t stop shaking and had been prescribed antidepressants for the stress.

Tony, who had spent a decade working as a paramedic in London before moving to the Cornwall countryside to raise a family and becoming a fully self-sufficient agricultural farmer, was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease (CKD) in 2018. 

With no other treatment options available Tony began researching cannabis.

“The state I was in the only options were dialysis and then a kidney transplant – but at my age I was never going to get a transplant. I was essentially facing death,” he said

“I started researching extensively and found a Canadian report that said there were suspected benefits from intake of cannabis for CKD.

“I learned about homeostasis and the endocannabinoid system and I thought if my body is out of balance and my kidneys are diseased, maybe I can balance my body out again.”

But unable to obtain a prescription legally and wanting to avoid the illicit market, Tony used his existing agricultural skills to grow his own medicine.

The cannabis improved his blood readings – something which his doctors said couldn’t be done – and he was able to lead a relatively pain-free and normal life.

Then in November 2019, Tony answered the door to two police officers who had information that he was growing cannabis there. Despite his immediate cooperation and explanation that it was his medicine he claims they “weren’t interested”.

“I took them to see it straight away – it was saving my life, I felt justified,” he recalled.

“I have to live with the fact that when I said it was my medicine the police officer didn’t care.”

After his crop was confiscated Tony felt he had no choice but to start growing again in order to maintain a consistent supply of medicine. But in January 2020 his home was raided again and six months later he was charged.

Tony pleaded guilty to cultivation and on 22 January, 2021 was handed a two-year suspended sentence.

Since October 2020 he has had a legal prescription for medical cannabis through the Drug Science’s Project Twenty21. His blood readings are now 40 (up from 26 when he was first diagnosed) and he has little to no pain.

But he claims the court failed to take this into account, with the prosecuting barrister admitting he had “never seen one of those before” when presented with Tony’s prescription. 

“The law doesn’t differentiate, I was treated like a criminal and I became aware of how unfair the courts are,” Tony said, speaking to Cannabis Health again from his Cornwall home last week.

“I pleaded guilty so I didn’t get a chance to explain my story. I felt silenced.

“I do feel that that the whole process is extraordinarily unjust, inhumane and lacking in compassion.”

Tony could have appealed his conviction or requested a jury trial, but he felt the added stress on top of his existing health issues wasn’t worth the risk.

“I did take the easy option, which the courts hoped I would, but I’m not much of a gambler and I thought it was the best option I had,” he continued.

“If I had chosen to fight it, I might have won eventually but it would have been another couple of years at least and I wasn’t sure I could survive that stress. 

“These people are far more powerful than we are.”

But the experience has encouraged Tony to find his voice in other ways.

A campaign was launched in September calling for the charges against him to be dropped, spearheaded by cannabis activist group We The Undersigned and backed by thousands of supporters – many of whom remain outraged by his conviction. 

“I’ve made hundreds of new friends and the support has been wonderful. In many ways I don’t feel that I deserve all the applause I’ve got,” said Tony.

“I’ve become much more vocal. Everybody knows about my cannabis consumption now, I’ve nothing to lose and if they are going to vilify an 81-year-old man then so be it. 

“I guess I’ve always been inclined to help the underdog. Even though there’s six million cannabis users in this country we’re still the underdog, we’re still demonised.”

He has even written to the Secretary of State for Justice, Robert Buckland on several occasions to highlight the “injustice” and “lack of compassion” in UK law.

“The law is outdated,” Tony said.

“The science says that cannabis has medicinal properties, but the law is still working on the 2005 precedent that there is no case for the medical necessity for cannabis.

“It’s as if they are blinkered and can’t see that their actions are actually supporting the illegal activities and the criminals.

“I’m an advocate for freedom of choice. I’d like to see cannabis legalised, available as a medicine on the NHS and for people be allowed to grow up to 12 plants for personal consumption.”

Tony is now hopeful that when lockdown restrictions are eased he can begin to travel the UK as an activist and share his story with sceptics to “dispel” the “lies and untruths” peddled about cannabis.

“I’m pretty fit and healthy now, but without the cannabis I’d be either severely disabled and reliant on dialysis or I’d be dead,” he added.

“You have to come out and be counted, it’s the only way we’re ever going to win.”

Cannabis Health has approached the Crown Prosecution Service for comment.