Show NotesEpisode Overview

In this episode, our guest, Dr. Jim, who prescribes medical cannabis, shares his journey learning about the nuances of cannabis-based therapies, focusing on cannabinoids like CBD and THC, and how the field is evolving with new ones like CBG and THCV.

• Dr. Jim initially dipped his toes into the medical cannabis world by prescribing mainly oral formulations or oils, integrating these treatments into the conventional treatment paradigms his patients were already on.
• He initially leaned more towards CBD due to its increased safety profile and lower chances of intoxication or side effects.
• Dr. Jim educated himself primarily through the companies that provide these therapies, which offered educational platforms and product information sheets with dosing and titration protocols.
• Over time, however, he realized the challenges of standardizing cannabis treatments, as most patients didn't fit the typical mold, leading to underdosing or overdosing.
• This realization prompted Dr. Jim to embark on self-education, learning more about the nuances of prescribing and dosing medical cannabis.

Dr. Jim highlights the healer training modules by Dr. Dustin Ulla as a pivotal resource that deepened his knowledge in the field.

• The more he learned, the more he understood the vast complexities of the field. However, this knowledge helped him regain the confidence he initially had when starting out.
• With time, Dr. Jim developed an internal "machine learning algorithm" for prescribing and dosing based on patterns he noticed in patients.
• Today, he empowers his patients with the tools they need to understand their own symptoms and the impacts of the medication, fostering a level of self-awareness and active participation in their own treatment.
• Dr. Jim found that CBD, lacking a psychotropic element, often required deeper reflection and monitoring for patients to understand its impact.
• He shares an example of patients who thought CBD was doing little for them until they stopped it and noticed a significant difference, underscoring its subtle but important effects.

This episode offers a fascinating look into the evolving world of medical cannabis, shedding light on the complexities and nuances of prescribing and dosing different cannabinoids. Dr. Jim's journey and insights offer valuable lessons for anyone interested in this dynamic and rapidly developing field.