Rick Simpson Oil (RSO)
Rick Simpson Oil, or RSO for short, is a full spectrum concentrated cannabis oil known for its therapeutic benefits. Named after Canadian medical marijuana activist Rick Simpson, this thick, syrupy oil was developed as a response to seeking natural healing remedies for three bumps on his arm that were discovered to be cancerous in 2003. Remarkably, the cancerous growths disappeared within days.
Due to policy restraints around legalization, few peer-reviewed studies on the subject exist. Yet, anecdotal evidence suggests that RSO has many different medical benefits, including treating cancer symptoms.
Who is Rick Simpson?
The origin story behind Rick Simpson Oil is quintessentially one of an unplanned fortunate discovery, a classic tale of serendipity, amidst unfortunate life obstacles. This can be said both for the discovery of Rick Simpson Oil and for Simpson’s own experimentation with cannabis. His first encounter with medical marijuana was a product of a severe concussion that left him desperate for any relief after conventional treatments had only made matters worse. Despite his physician’s disapproval, Simpson was able to obtain enough cannabis to find some relief from his ailments.
Years later, upon receiving a basal cell carcinoma diagnosis in response to those three notorious bumps on his arm, Simpson set out to explore natural ways to treat his condition. Having used cannabis to treat medical issues from the concussion, he once again sought out a treatment that deployed the plant’s innate synergistic healing properties. Using specific solvents like 99 percent isopropyl alcohol and ether, Rick Simpson’s technique focuses on maintaining the plant’s natural compounds in order to showcase THC’s medicinal properties.
Rick Simpson’s story illustrates how much healing potential cannabis has to offer. The experience was transformative enough for Simpson that he has dedicated himself to advocating bringing RSO’s healing relief to others suffering from similar conditions and advocating for legalization to foster more scientific research.
Benefits
RSO’s diverse profile of cannabis compounds is why it’s considered a full spectrum extract and what makes it stand out when compared to most butane extracts. Full spectrum extracts maintain the full profile of the cannabis plant, including THC, THCa, CBD, CBDa, CBG, and CBN, as well as terpenes and other compounds such as flavonoids, proteins, phenols, sterols, and esters. Preserving the individuality of the cannabis strain’s flavor and aroma profile allows the full benefits of the entourage effect to be experienced.
The entourage effect occurs when cannabinoid, terpenoid, and flavonoid compounds derived from the originating cannabis strain work together to provide unique synergistic effects. Full range of terpenes and cannabinoids work together to help to mitigate the sometimes overpowering nature of THC potent profiles. When using all the cannabinoids in conjunction as is the case with RSO, the CBD interacts with the THC in a way that dulls THC’s sometimes overwhelming psychoactive effects, while still retaining its pain relieving qualities.
How to use RSO
Being an activated formulation, it requires no heat in order to work and typically is packaged in a syringe, meant to be consumed sublingually, ingested orally, or applied topically.
Rick Simpson originally recommended patients consume a full 60 grams of RSO oil orally over a 90-day period. However, it never hurts to start a gentle dosing pattern that increases over time to gradually meet the recommended usage. Start with no more than an oil droplet about the size of one grain of rice so as to mitigate the sometimes overpowering nature of the THC heavy profiles. As your tolerance goes up and the effects begin to seem less potent, increase your dosage by no more than another grain of rice.
RSO is often used to relieve cancer symptoms, but has also been used for insomnia, depression, high blood pressure, arthritis, or other chronic pain conditions. Topically, it’s useful for burns, cuts, psoriasis, acne and other skin irritations.
