Ask an Expert: Dr. Jean Paul Lim Discusses the Benefits of Medical Cannabis for People with Parkinsonʼs

Dr. Jean Paul Lim, MD, FRCPC, is an internal medicine and complex care specialist, as well as a clinical instructor at the University of British Columbia (UBC). He is also the medical director of PerceiveMD, a multidisciplinary patient-focused clinic that provides free, comprehensive assessments for medical cannabis. Dr. Lim studied at UBC, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology and Immunology, as well as a Doctor of Medicine. He has been in practice as a medical specialist since 2011. As part of exploring different approaches to health, Dr. Lim has become a leader in the medical cannabis space, as he believes it has numerous clinical benefits.

What is the difference between medical and conventional cannabis?

When it comes to medical and conventional cannabis, the products themselves are identical. The main difference is that if you go the medical route, the product gets delivered directly to your home and you get a receipt to claim it with your insurance company or on your taxes. On the other hand, conventional cannabis provides the convenience of being able to purchase it yourself anytime from a retail store.

What are the different forms of cannabis?

Cannabis is available through either a capsule, oil, vape pen, or dried flower for smoking.

Could you talk a bit about your overall philosophy on medicine and exploring different approaches to health? Where does medical cannabis fit into this approach?

I think that disease and poor health in general are not from a singular issue that happens to us and makes us unwell, but rather may be a response to an accumulation of stresses for years, possibly even decades.

As a result, I do not think that people’s health conditions can be treated with just one thing. I tend to employ a variety of different approaches to help people get better. This means that I speak a lot about diet, exercise, nutrition, and supplements – along with pharmaceuticals and natural remedies.

Medical cannabis falls within the realm of natural remedies, and that is how I use it for patients with Parkinson's. Parkinson's Disease can't be treated with just medical cannabis, but cannabis can have a role in its overall treatment.

What sets medical cannabis apart from conventional medical treatments for Parkinsonʼs?

Cannabis is more holistic, and it addresses multiple things. For instance, cannabis can help with tremor, sleep, mood disorder, and pain all at the same time, whereas the conventional Parkinson’s treatments tend to only address one thing. One pill will address the tremor, another pill will help with sleep, and then another for the anxiety. Cannabis can assist with a variety of symptoms.

What are the potential side effects that an individual could experience from using medical cannabis? Would you recommend medical cannabis to all people with Parkinson's, or are there specific criteria that you look for?

Cannabis has different components, and can usually be separated into cannabidiol (CBD) or tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Those are the two most common cannabinoids, but there are others. Their effects have many differences, and so the side effects someone may experience will depend on which cannabinoid is dominant. CBD-dominant strains tend to cause very minimal side effects. Some people may experience diarrhea, while others may become energized. However, THC-dominant strains can make people feel euphoric and can lead to imbalance, heart palpitations, dizziness, and increased risk of falls. THC can also induce feelings of anxiety and paranoia.

I would not recommend cannabis to people with PD without proper supervision. Cannabis can also potentially interact with certain Parkinson’s drugs, and can be hard to properly dose. As a result, any cannabis use should be monitored closely. If you wish to incorporate cannabis into your Parkinson’s treatment, involve a healthcare professional who knows how to use it properly, ideally a medical cannabis expert.

What are some misconceptions that you see or hear about medical cannabis that you would like to clear up or debunk?

There are two, the first being that it is a cure-all for everything (like Parkinson’s), which is not true. Then there is the other belief that it does nothing, which is also false.

What initially sparked your interest in exploring medical cannabis?

It was the patients. I journeyed with them to see if cannabis could be useful and found that it had the potential to help. I decided to explore things further because it was something that patients were doing, regardless of whether or not physicians were involved, and I did not believe that was the right way of incorporating this powerful, yet often misunderstood, remedy.

This content was published in the Winter 2022 edition of our quarterly magazine, Viewpoints. The content was accurate as of this publication date.