Dr James Stewart opens OneHealth medicinal cannabis clinic

A former Mooloolaba DJ has opened up on his transformation from partying too hard to becoming a leading medicinal cannabis doctor, ahead of his return to the Sunshine Coast.

DJ to doctor: How James Stewart became one of the most successful cannabis doctors in Australia.

A former Sunshine Coast nightclub owner and DJ gets his highs from serving customers in a new way as one of Australia’s leading medicinal cannabis doctors.

Dr James Stewart, 43, is returning to the Sunshine Coast from Melbourne to open OneHealth clinic at Maroochydore’s WholeLife Pharmacy.

Mr Stewart owned Mooloolaba nightclub Motown with his brother and sister between 2003 and 2006.

But after years of “partying too hard” Mr Stewart gave up DJing to go to university and transform his life.

Since becoming a specialist in medicinal cannabis he has won awards and treated celebrities including ex-NRL player Andrew Johns, basketball star Lauren Jackson and AFL coach Damien Hardwick.

Dr Stewart said during his time at Mooloolaba he worked front of house and as the DJ until the club closed at 12pm, when he would travel to Brisbane to DJ at clubs there.

James Stewart travelled to Brisbane after he ran his DJ gig at Motown on the Sunshine Coast until midnight.

Mr Stewart said Motown – where Spice Bar is now – was the first venue to bring house music to the Sunshine Coast.

He also owned streetwear shop T. O. Y on the Mooloolaba Esplanade.

After selling Motown in 2006, he moved to England for a year and continued DJing until he “partied way too hard”.

Mr Stewart said he couldn’t keep it up and returned to the Sunshine Coast in 2007 where he worked at a roofing company until he decided to study biomedical science at university.

“I remember sitting in the first lecture and everything was just sinking in,” he said.

Mr Stewart scored top grades and was eligible to study medicine.

James Stewart on a moped he was gifted outside his streetwear store.

Since graduating he has worked as a general practitioner for about seven years and spent recent years involved in medicinal cannabis.

Mr Stewart owned Herbal Health Clinics at Melbourne which saw about 4000 patients, but he said owning a business was not one of his strengths.

He said he couldn’t turn down an opportunity to partner with WholeLife Pharmacy at Wises Rd to launch OneHealth on the Sunshine Coast.

Mr Stewart turned to the medicinal cannabis industry as his years as a GP didn’t sit well with him.

After constantly prescribing antidepressants, painkillers or sleeping pills, Mr Stewart said he often felt deflated and worried he was “doing more harm than good”.

James Stewart and former NRL player Andrew Johns at a Levin Health presentation. Picture: Instagram

This all changed when he could start prescribing cannabis.

“People would come in and hug me in tears and say ‘thank you so much, this has changed my life’,” he said.

Mr Stewart said medicinal cannabis must be destigmatised, calling its benefits “unbelievable” whilst not being everyone.

“It’s not just about punching cones and being high,” he said

Mr Stewart said his struggles with gambling, alcohol and drugs earlier in life made him a better doctor because he could relate to his patients and their experiences.

Motown was open in Mooloolaba 2003-2006. L-R: Jesse Warham, Monty Hooke and James Stewart

Mr Stewart is currently the only doctor at the clinic but he hopes to train more in cannabis medicine in the future.

He said he generally prescribes low doses of cannabis oil or capsules which do not have THC, the component in cannabis which causes the high, he said.

Since Mr Stewart grew an interest in medicinal cannabis and the benefits of plant-based medicine, he was awarded Australian Doctor of the Year and People’s Choice by the Cannabis Industry Awards in 2021.

He was also crowned Prescribing Healthcare Practitioner of the Year in the 2023 Cannabiz Awards.

WholeLife Pharmacy is hosting an open day on August 26 and OneHealth will open Monday, August 28.

Medicinal cannabis comes with side effects and is not suitable for everyone. It is advised to speak with a health practitioner before consuming any form of cannabis.