Matthew James Howarth, 35, pleaded guilty to possession and cultivation of cannabis following a December 6 search of his home.

Police found four cannabis plants in a bedroom, the “mother plant” in a fridge, and two more plants in the backyard.

Mr Howarth, who has used cannabis for the past seven years to control “extreme anxiety”, said he resented being branded a criminal for using a drug he says helps with his chronic condition.

“If I don’t have a smoke it’s very hard for me to come down from a high anxiety level,” he said.

“And I don’t believe it hurts anyone else.”

The married father of three said he had “no quality of life” without the drug due to the horrific symptoms of PTSD which have plagued him since 2002.

Mr Howarth served in the Australian Army as an infantry soldier for more than 10 years.

During that time he was involved in harrowing military operations which led to his ultimate breakdown and discharge in 2003.

“I tried to keep working but it got harder and harder,” Mr Howarth said.

“I sought my own help but nothing worked like smoking pot.”

At his worst, Mr Howarth was prescribed “massive doses” of Valium and Serapax; medications he said “didn’t even touch the sides” of his anxiety.

He said he grew cannabis himself because he “hated drug dealers” and believed his choice should be legal.

“Alcohol and cigarettes are the biggest killers out there,” he said.

“But I don’t drink and I don’t smoke.

“There are definite instances when cannabis should be a prescribed medication.

“Society is all screwed up.”

Mr Howarth cited examples from overseas where cannabis was used to treat pain in cancer sufferers and said it was time Australia did the same thing.

“We’re being dictated to about what are choices are,” he said.

“And the sooner people become better educated about the health benefits of cannabis the better.”