[Updated] Rick Simpson Oil (RSO): What is it & Who is Rick Simpson?

We are no stranger to the miracles of the cannabis plant, especially when it comes to the medical field. I am sure you know someone who swears by these green buds to change their life, while another section of the society looks down upon it like it is the reason for everything wrong with the world. While the stigmatized view of these natural plants are breaking, and the stereotypes are slowly fading away, there is still not much research to back various claims. As the cannabis-loving population expands, there comes a plethora of new products and claims. When a plant with so many benefits is kept away from the access of needy people, there will be a time when revolution strikes.

One such revolution led to the discovery of Rick Simpson Oil, the very famous cannabis concentrate that is closely associated with patients and for those who believe in the miracle of Marijuana. Named after a single person, the oil quickly became the brand name. In today's age, you can ask for Rick Simpson oil in any dispensary where it is legal, and you will surely find one. In this article, we will be exploring the origin of the oil and the man behind the idea, along with its dosage, claims, benefits, side-effects, and more.

Strap on your knowledge caps, cause' I am taking you on a ride.

What is Rick Simpson Oil?

First things first, let's take an in-depth look into the cannabis oil that has been one of the most controversial and acclaimed concentrates in the canna-world. It’s a peculiar name for an oil, and the moment you encounter it, you’re hit with the questions; what is RSO oil?

Rick Simpson Oil (RSO), also known as Phoenix Tears, is a full extract cannabis oil curated by the man, Rick Simpson itself. The Canadian Cannabis Activist had some pretty serious claims about the oil, which led to its popularity, and many people benefited from it. We will be discussing this later. For now, let's circle back to the Oil. 

The Cannabis-derived oil is made from Indica-dominant strains that offer a high concentration of Marijuana's psychoactive compound, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). With its potent and medical benefits, the oil is packed with enough cannabinoids to treat a variety of ailments. The reason for using Indica-dominant strain is because they provide sedative effects required to fight many issues.

Moving on to how Rick Simpson Oil is made, it is not a very difficult process, and Simpson himself advises to make your own batch. If you’re looking to understand how to make RSO, take a look below. 

Rick Simpson Oil is curated using a solvent, usually grain alcohol, but some people also prefer ethanol or butane for the process. The buds are then placed in a large container and mixed with the alcohol. This process involves crushing the buds into the solvent and stirring it to ensure that the goodness of both the products is blended enough. Once the process is complete, the alcohol is drained from the mixture leaving only the plant material behind. Naturally, the solvent won't leave the mixture entirely, which is why the mixture is then heated in a container to evaporate the residual alcohol. 

The end result is a beautiful, dark coloured oil with a thick consistency that depicts the high-potency of the product. People prefer keeping the RSO oil in a syringe since it offers a longer and more preserved shelf life than any other storing method. It also helps to prevent oxidation, which might ruin your product.

Even though the potency of the Rick Simpson oil is what made it famous, it is still largely dependent upon the quality and type of nug used for the process. The source material plays a huge role in not only determining the THC content but also the colour and consistency. Some people also like to include the leaves of their cannabis plant to extract the maximum amount of cannabinoids. This will lead to a more sharp taste and a darker colour. 

I am sure you have understood what Simpson Oil is. Now let's take a look at its Origin and what prompted the man to create the concentrate.

| Also Read: A Beginner's Guide to Cannabis Concentrates and their Consumption |

Who is Rick Simpson?

Accidental discoveries can either lead to destruction or invention and in this case, it was a pretty great one. Driven by his zeal to cure himself, Rick Simpson applied the science and knowledge of Cannabis to heal himself. In fact, he is also known as a cannabis activist and was no stranger to the miracles of Marijuana before he tried this out.

The story began in 2003 when Rick Simpson was diagnosed with a form of skin cancer called basal cell carcinoma. Having used cannabis in the past to solve his medical issue, he turned to the same green plant for his cancerous cells. Soon after this, a study from the Journal of the National Cancer Institute that depicted how THC was able to kill cancer cells in mice.
 

With this decision in mind, Rick Simpson attempted to treat his cancer with full extract cannabis oil by applying it to directly to the affected area and covering it with a bandage. To his surprise, he found that this method helped in treating cancer and the affected area cleared up. And this happened within days, leading him to become an even staunch believer of Medical Cannabis. 

Simpson started cultivating his own strain and making a batch of custom oil blend that he believed could help thousands of people around. Even though his physician refused to believe the cure from a plant, he kept going and today we have the RSO. This event led to a YouTube Documentary called "Run from the Cure" and a book called "The Rick Simpson Story". 

Sadly, the Simpson Story does not have a grand, happy ending. In 2009, he was ordered to stop for legal reasons. Even since 2013, he has been living in Europe and is not allowed to enter the U.S due to the criminal background received from the Canadian government.

Rick Simpson - Controversy & Originality

The name has been famous but the cost has been enormous when you look at it. Simpson's career was not without controversy, backlash, and a lot of prying and doubtful eyes. The first backlash came from his own physician and other medical professionals who criticised his lack of scientific research or clinical trials before moving forward with his brand. 

However, on the other end, Simpson still has a lot of defenders and fans of the oil who have genuinely benefitted from the concentrate. Today, his website states that he no longer indulges in the production of the oil, hence anything that you might come across in any place is not his original creation. The name has been carried forward, but the maker is not the same.
 

The Rick Simpson Oil recipe on his website is presented for a 90-day treatment and produces 60 grams of RSO oil. 

| Also Read: Cannabis Tincture- Everything You Need to Know About Them |

How to Use Rick Simpson Oil (RSO)?

When it comes to using cannabis for medical issues, I would recommend you to consult a learned physician as there is no one size fits all criteria with these green buds. Moreover, cannabis also led to negative effects, especially with higher doses. Here’s how to dose RSO oil.

Keeping the above things in mind, if you're looking to proceed with caution and at your own discretion, here's the recommended dosage of RSO oil. The goal here is to consume 60grams within the course of 90 days, which is the exact amount for which the recipe is listed on Simpson's Website.
This is how your RSO dosage chart should look like: 

Week 1 Dose

The idea is to start with three doses of the Rick Simpson Oil every day, that is about the size of half a grain of rice. This should be consumed once every eight hours, following the pattern of the morning, noon, and night. 

Week 2 to 5 Dose

Once your body will be used to the first week of doses, from the 2nd week you will have to double your dose every four days. You might take around three to five weeks to reach the one gram dosage of RSO/day. 

Week 5 to 12 Dose

You will reach the ideal dosage of one gram daily by the end of Week 5. Follow it through till the 12th Week until you've consumed the full 60 grams. By the end, ideally, the patient should be administered about 8-9 rice-sized drops of RSO every eight hours.

Even though the best way to take RSO oil is sublingually, you can also try some other method. These includes:

• It can be applied as a topical onto the skin surface if you’re not comfortable with the sublingual method.
• RSO capsules are available for those who have trouble with the sublingual consumption method. Though they are slow to act, the RSO capsules have a longer-lasting effect. 

Side-effects of RSO (Rick Simpson Oil)

One of the most apparent side-effects of RSO is Sleepiness, which is also due to the indica-property of the concentrate. Naturally, as you increase the dosage, you will be more oblivious to the psychoactive effects and your tolerance level will increase. 

A more than required dose or an RSO overdose may lead to paranoia, red eyes, depression, low blood pressure, and even insomnia, impaired memory, and irritability. The whole idea is to keep the dosage to a point where your body can easily take it in. 

Apart from these side-effects, a few batches of RSO oil may be very bitter or unpleasant which might ruin your taste buds. For this reason, many patients prefer to consume it by mixing it with good.

The Difference Between RSO and CBD Oil

The starking difference between CBD Oil and RSO is that the former one contains only CBD while the other one is known for its high concentration of THC - the intoxicating compound. Moreover, RSO also makes use of the other cannabinoids including CBD to provide the complete effect. This is also known as an entourage effect where the medical benefits of CBD are enhanced due to the presence of other cannabinoids. 

Simpson claims that the RSO oil contains 2-6% CBD but there needs to be a high content of THC for it to work on the cancerous cells. Moreover, remember that RSO is highly intoxicating since it contains almost 20% THC in the product.

The research around cannabis is still not grown, so we cannot surely allocate one type of oil to a specific ailment, however, there is a bright future ahead of us. 

Before we conclude the topic, let's take a look at a few of the questions that might be bubbling in your mind regarding the Rick Simpson Oil. 

Can you smoke or dab RSO?

If you’re wondering if you can smoke RSO, here’s your answer. Like with any other cannabis oil, you can dab or smoke with RSO oil. However, this is a catch here. 

Since RSO is made using a highly flammable solvent, it is recommended to ask your budtender on how the product was produced and if it is safe to smoke/dab with it. Similarly, if you're making the oil at home, ensure that you have burned all the alcohol completely before moving on with the dabbing or smoking process. 

I would not recommend not smoking or dabbing with your homemade RSO since it is not tested for chemicals and possesses a risk. 

Can I cook with RSO?

Cooking with RSO is not a very common activity given its texture and stickiness. You might want to use it for baking but only with more liquid ingredients. Additionally, it is used for drizzling over food, but not everyone enjoys the great taste of this strong oil and preferring masking the flavour with something else.

| Also Read: Cannabis-infused Coffee Recipe - How to make this delicacy? |

FAQs

How much is RSO worth?

The general cost of RSO in the USA is around $35-70 a gram so a complete 60gram dosage can cost around $3000-7000. 

Why is RSO Black?

The dark colour of the RSO is associated with the intense taste and potency of the product since it has a very high concentration of THC. 

With this, we come to the end of our article on Rick Simpson Oil. I hope you found it interesting and learned a few things from it. In case of any doubts or questions, feel free to comment below, and I'll get back to you. 

Till then, keep toking with Olivastu!