What is Rick Simpson Oil (RSO)?

Rick Simpson Oil, aka RSO, is a full extract cannabis oil (FECO) meant to be taken orally or applied topically. RSO is a marijuana extract made utilizing a solvent to extract cannabinoids. The most common solvent used to produce RSO is grain alcohol, but some other solvents like ethanol or butane are sometimes used. Flower (bud) material is placed in a large container and alcohol is added. The entire mixture is stirred and crushed into the alcohol. After a time, the alcohol is drained from the remaining plant material. That mixture is then heated in a container, such as a rice cooker, so that the residual alcohol evaporates. The end product is a high potency oil often dark in color with a thick consistency. RSO can be siphoned into a syringe style applicator for dosing which offers the advantage of a long shelf life as oxidation does not easily occur.

In 2003, Canadian Rick Simpson was diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma, a skin cancer. Soon after his cancer diagnosis, he read a study from the Journal of the National Cancer Institute that showed THC could kill cancer cells in mice. Simpson was already a fan of medical cannabis — he’d been using it to treat tinnitus and dizzy spells caused after falling and hitting his head several years earlier — so he decided to try to treat his skin cancer with cannabis oil.

According to Simpson’s account, he whipped up a homemade extract, applied it directly to the cancerous moles, and covered them with a bandage. Four days later, he removed the bandages and claimed the growths were gone.

Simpson then began growing and cultivating his own cannabis to perfect a custom oil blend, and, after health and government groups like the Canadian Cancer Society ignored his discovery, he set out to promote the medicinal effects of cannabis to others. He created a YouTube documentary called :“Run From the Cure,” and wrote a book, “The Rick Simpson Story.”

Until 2009, when he was ordered to stop for legal reasons, he gave away his oil — dubbed Rick Simpson Oil, or RSO — for free. Since 2013, Simpson has lived in Europe, and, according to his website, he cannot legally enter the U.S. due to the criminal background he received from the Canadian government.

Cannabis used to make Rick Simpson Oil

RSO is a high potency cannabis extract with high levels of THC and other cannabinoids. Many researchers and medical companies are now focusing on CBD oil, which contains mostly the non euphoric compound cannabidiol (CBD). However, RSO contains much higher levels of THC, the compound responsible for the high, euphoric feeling that people associate with cannabis. Although several companies may sell RSO on the market, Rick Simpson’s website has been the most reliable source.

Individuals should use cannabis from Cannabis indica strains to make the oil correctly. Some people suggest that these strains create a more subdued, relaxed state, which is reportedly important to assist healing.

What Else Can RSO Treat?

RSO can be used to help treat other conditions, including:

Does RSO work?

For instance, an older study from 2014 found that a combination of CBD and THC enhanced the effects of radiation therapy in rodents. This appears promising, as it suggests that cannabis compounds might improve standard cancer treatments.

Another older study also explored the use of cannabis oil in a child with a specific cancer. She was terminally ill and had no success with standard treatment. Her parents chose to stop the standard treatment and give her a cannabis extract in the form of RSO. Her cancer was significantly reduced.

Some cancers may respond better to cannabinoids than others. For example, a 2019 review suggests that cannabis may be helpful as an addition to cancer treatments that involve cannabinoids, which are the cells in the body that respond to compounds in cannabis. One such cancer is pancreatic cancer.

The research indicated that both THC and CBD could help as supplementary treatments for pancreatic cancer. The authors urged more clinical studies to look into using cannabinoids for pancreatic cancer.

A separate 2016 review studied the overall body of research into cannabinoids and their effects regarding cancer. The researchers noted that most animal studies found that the active compounds in cannabis could effectively decrease tumor growth.

Side effects

THC is a psychoactive substance, and some people are more sensitive to it than others. THC may cause a euphoric feeling that most people associate with cannabis. As a result, too much cannabis can cause temporary mental impairment. Individuals should not operate machinery or drive while using RSO.

However, these side effects are generally temporary and tend to subside when THC starts to leave the body.

RSO is a highly potent THC concentrate that may contain more than 90% THC. This may make it easy for inexperienced users to over consume the substance.

Much of the research around cannabis in humans supports using the plant as a supportive therapy, such as helping deal with the side effects of chemotherapy.

How to use RSO for Cancer

Typically, a full RSO protocol contains around 60 grams of oil. However, this is dependent on the individual’s condition. Traditional RSO is made from indica plants that are high in THC, however, any strain can be used to make RSO. The final results will depend upon what strains were used and the moisture content of the plants themselves. The strains used also account for the color and consistency of the oil. Some plants result in a light amber color with a viscous consistency while others have a darker, thicker consistency. In some cases, other portions of the plant, such as fan leaves, are used in the mixture so as to get the maximum amount of cannabinoids from a crop.

This will cause the end product to have a more astringent taste and darker color as well.

There is a method that Rick Simpson suggests when using an RSO regimen. The goal is to consume 60 grams of RSO over the course of 90 days.

In the first week, three doses should be taken each day, once in the morning, afternoon, and at night. RSO is very potent. The beginning dose should be the size of a half a grain of rice. After the first week, the measured dose should be doubled every four days. It will take approximately three to five weeks before the dosage reaches a full gram of RSO in a day. Continue to take a full gram in a day until the full 60 grams is consumed.

The most common side effects when undertaking an RSO regimen is excessive tiredness and/or psychoactivity. Over time, the body will adjust to the higher dose of RSO; this typically takes three to four weeks.

Dosages vary from person to person depending on many factors, including the potency of the RSO. The creator suggests that people start by taking a dose that is half the size of short-grain dry rice three times daily. He then recommends doubling the dosage after every four days for five weeks, slowly building up a tolerance to muddle the effects of the THC. For the remainder of the 12-week treatment period, keep the dosage at a full gram. Simpson also notes that the effects of the oil may not be felt until an hour after ingestion.

RSO is typically not smoked. It is applied in the following ways:

As a topical rubbed onto the surface of the skin
As a sublingual with drops under the tongue; this has the fastest absorption rate
As a capsule taken orally; this has the slowest-acting effects, but the effects would last longer

Difference between RSO and CBD

CBD oil derived from industrial hemp plants only contain CBD, while Rick Simpson Oil has a high concentration of THC — at least 20% — and the full range of cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant. It’s also important to distinguish RSO from other products labeled as hemp oil and hempseed oil, as these products often don’t contain any CBD or THC.

In 2011, physician and researcher Dr. Ethan Russo found that the medicinal effects of CBD increase when they’re combined with other cannabinoids. This phenomenon is commonly referred to as the entourage effect which describes the enhanced effect of diffuse cannabis compounds when combined. Simpson claims that his oils produced 2%-6% CBD, but emphasizes that THC content needs to be high in order to treat cancer.

Although it is popularly believed that CBD oil is only for epileptic patients and RSO oil is only for cancer patients, early research, including information reported by the U.S. National Cancer Institute and the American Cancer Society, has indicated that CBD possesses cancer-inhibiting properties in some types of tumors. Research is still preliminary, because of the prohibition of cannabis in many countries, so the full effectiveness and side effects of cannabinoids to treat cancer are not well established yet.

That said, keep in mind that RSO is highly intoxicating because of the THC content. In other words, it’ll get you high while CBD won’t.

Benefits of Rick Simpson Oil

RSO has proven to be a powerful tool in combating cancer and the detrimental side effects of its treatment. In a 2014 study that examined the effects of THC and CBD extracts alongside radiation therapy in lab mice induced with brain cancer, researchers found that cannabis increased the effectiveness of radiation treatment.

A 2014 study on mice examined the effects of THC and CBD extracts alongside radiation therapy. The cannabis extracts appeared to increase the effectiveness of radiation against an aggressive type of brain cancer. According to the study’s authors, these results suggest that THC and CBD may help to prepare cancer cells to respond better to radiation therapy.

A 2013 case report on a 14-year-old girl with an aggressive form of leukemia examined the effectiveness of various cannabinoid resin extracts, one of which was prepared with the help of Simpson Farmacy.

The antitumor properties of cannabinoids in cell lines and in animal models induced with cancer have been well documented in peer review research over the years, but more research is needed to prove the efficacy and safety for clinical trials involving human patients.

As for research on the joint effects of THC and CBD, existing evidence also demonstrates how the combination of THC and CBD creates a synergy that leads to several therapeutic benefits. For instance, research has shown that CBD acts as an antipsychotic agent, reducing the adverse side effects of THC when taken together.

Is RSO considered a full spectrum cannabis oil? (FECO)

Full Spectrum Cannabis Oil (FSCO), sometimes referred to as Full Extract Cannabis Oil (FECO), is a term used for cannabis oil products that capture the full range of bioactive compounds created within the plant’s glandular trichomes without altering their composition in the process.

This includes flavonoids, phenols, fatty acids, and, most importantly, a variety of terpenes and cannabinoids in their natural acid form.

While the RSO extraction process is capable of extracting the full range of compounds, the process of removing the solvent from the solution requires heat. Heat changes the cannabinoids from their acid form into their neutral, or activated, form in a process called decarboxylation (i.e. THCA decarboxylates into THC and CBDA into CBD). The heat also volatilizes most of the terpenes that were initially extracted, leaving an oil that may not have all the bioactive compounds that were available in the plant’s trichome glands.

RSO can have side effects, too, in addition to the risk of getting high. You may experience drowsiness, so if you do, it’s best that you sleep and rest. After all, sleep and rest are an important part of the healing process.

Side effects tend to go away in less than a month as you develop a sort of tolerance to the oil.

If you’re going to use RSO, you should have someone drive you around for a while till you get used to the oil and the side effects go away.

We recommend that you do not drive when you are using Rick Simpson Oil or any cannabis oil.

What is Rick Simpson Oil (RSO)?