Levi Whalley, a 32-year-old nurse and social media influencer, has been allowed to retain her nursing licence after being convicted of smuggling more than £160,000 worth of cannabis into the United Kingdom. Whalley, who has nearly 45,000 followers on Instagram and worked as a Botox and filler injector, was stopped at Birmingham Airport in December 2023 when Border Force officials discovered over 35 kilograms of the Class B drug in her luggage.

Whalley and a friend, Sophie Bannister, were returning from New York when the drugs were seized. Whalley’s suitcase alone contained 38 wrapped packages of cannabis. Both were charged with drug smuggling; Whalley was convicted at Blackburn Magistrates’ Court in February 2025 and later received a 16-month prison sentence suspended for 18 months at Preston Crown Court. Bannister received a suspended 20-month sentence with additional community orders.

Following the conviction, the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) brought disciplinary proceedings, seeking to remove Whalley from the nursing register. However, during a tribunal hearing, the panel decided against striking her off, suspending her from nursing practice for 12 months instead. The tribunal cited “specific and unusual circumstances,” including Whalley’s personal difficulties at the time of the offence, as factors mitigating the severity of the sanction.

Whalley told the tribunal her decision to smuggle drugs was “very irrational” and made under duress, claiming that shortly before departing New York, she panicked and didn’t want to proceed but was subject to messages threatening her home and family. The panel noted these factors and concluded that a striking-off order would be “unduly punitive” and disproportionate, allowing her to continue her nursing career after the suspension period.

The tribunal also heard that Whalley has a long-standing commitment to nursing, having worked in healthcare since age 18 and qualified as a nurse seven years ago. She held various positions including management at an eye clinic and running her own private clinics before the incident.

While the nursing regulator expressed concern over the seriousness of the offense and initially sought permanent removal of her licence, the tribunal's decision reflects a balance between acknowledging the gravity of the misconduct and recognizing mitigating personal circumstances. Whalley, a mother of one from Blackburn, expressed regret over her actions, describing the incident as a “very stupid decision” that threatened to end her career and personal life.