You have probably heard of Rick Simpson oil and how it can treat cancer. You might wonder if the claims are valid and whether RSO is worth trying. Here is what we know about Rick Simpson Oil (RSO).
Rick Simpson, a Canadian Engineer, developed Rick Simpson’s Oil (RSO). RSO is a cannabis oil with high THC levels that people believe treats cancer. THC is the primary psychoactive cannabinoid in cannabis.
Rick Simpson got a cancer diagnosis in 2003. He had basal cell carcinoma, a form of skin cancer, so he applied RSO on the cancerous spots. Rick Simpson’s skin cancer responded to the treatment and the scars healed after a few days.
What is Cannabis Oil?
It is oil infused with cannabidiol to make what is known as CBD oil. Cannabidiol is a component found in cannabis that is extracted and used for various ailments. Cannabis oil is applied to the skin to provide relief from multiple conditions.
THC is the psychoactive substance in marijuana.
Unlike THC, CBD is not psychoactive. Medical cannabis, such as cannabis oil, treats chronic pain, arthritis, nausea, cancer, and allergies. It is considered a natural relief of pain and inflammation in many medical marijuana patients.
Rick Simpson Oil
Rick Simpson oil differs from other cannabis oils because it has significantly higher THC levels. Rick Simpson, a medical marijuana proponent, developed the Rick Simpson Oil. He had medical issues that CBD helped resolve.
Simpson claims it can treat cancerous growths. He believes in making your own RSO regimens and does not encourage people to buy them.
Medical Marijuana
Medical marijuana is gaining popularity, even among medical professionals. People believe it provides relief to medical marijuana patients who seek relief from chronic pain and inflammation.
Medical marijuana eases cancer symptoms, and some medical professionals include it in their cancer treatment plans.
It can come in the form of oils you can vapourize or infuse in food and drinks, creams to be applied topically, pills, or dried plant material to be smoked.
What is the Difference Between Regular Weed Oil and Rick Simpson Oil?
Hemp weed oil is made from the hemp plant, while Rick Simpson Oil comes from the Cannabis strain.
Consequently, the RSO has higher THC levels and various other cannabinoids. It could attain THC levels of 50-60%, while the typical hemp oil contains about 10-15% CBD. Standard cannabis oils can have other CBD but lack THC or have little amounts.
RSO has the benefit of having anticancer effects. Many cancer patients in North America experiment with the RSO regimen because they believe it contains anticancer agents.
What Does Research Say?
Early research into cannabis extract treatments, such as RSO, suggests that cannabis products could contain anti-cancer agents. Evidence suggests that cannabis extract treatment combined with radiation therapy improved the outcomes of radiation on brain cancer cells.
However, more research is needed to establish the effectiveness of cannabis extract treatment. Rick Simpson once worked with the family of a 14-year-old girl who had a form of leukemia.
They used hemp oil, which appeared to have anticancer effects until she died from an unrelated illness of her gastrointestinal tract. However, more research is needed to establish the effectiveness of cannabis extract treatment.
Rick Simpson read of a 1975 study that found cannabinoids were effective in slowing cancer growth in mice with lung cancer. Numerous other studies involving animal models have found THC and CBD to improve outcomes in cancer treatment.
How is RSO Made?
Simpson recommends RSO at home, although some cannabis dispensaries can prepare and sell it to you. The following guide could be helpful if you plan on making RSO at home.
Follow these steps to make RSO:
- Put your cannabis Indica strain into a container and add alcohol to cover the weed – The alcohol acts as a solvent.
- As you add the alcohol, crush and stir the cannabis plant material to release THC – This yields over 80% THC.
- Use a cheesecloth to drain the solvent into another container. You can dispose of the remaining plant material.
- Transfer the solvent into an electric rice cooker and turn it on – A rice cooker is helpful because of the slow and steady heat, which is necessary for THC decarboxylation.
- Add more solvent as evaporation occurs until you have exhausted all the solvent.
- Collect the resulting oil in a syringe for easy dosing.
- Since the RSO can run thick, putting the syringe in warm water can help.
Your Rick Simpson Oil is now ready for use. There are numerous reports that RSO can treat cancer, but they lack solid scientific proof. There is a need for more research, although there is no harm in using it.
How to Take Rick Simpson Oil?
After making RSO, how do you take it? For starters, you cannot smoke RSO.
These are ways to take RSO:
- Sublingually – by placing it under the tongue
- Topically – apply it by rubbing it on your skin
Dosage
Since RSO is very potent, start with as small as half a grain of dry rice. 0.5ml in a syringe is about 40 times the dose contained in RSO, the size of half a grain of rice, to put this into perspective.
RSO has THC and other cannabinoids that might be absorbed through the skin. If you use RSO for topical applications, apply it on the skin and cover it with a cloth or bandage. Avoid driving if you are under the influence.
Where to Buy RSO Online in Canada?
Various cannabis dispensaries, like those listed on Cannabis Ontario, will have Rick Simpson oil. However, we recommend trying a few on our list. Highest Farmacy is a reliable dispensary that has RSO. If you are looking for something on the west coast, you can check out BC cannabis dispensary listings.
They are ready to listen to you and help with questions about RSO and other cannabis products. You will also find various products in their marijuana dispensaries.
Despite insufficient scientific proof, people widely believe that Rick Simpson Oil can treat cancer. You could use RSO alongside recommended cancer treatment. However, you will need to discuss this with the medical professionals to see if they will include it in your treatment plan.
References
- Bao After Work. (2019, August 2). How to make Rick Simpson Oil (RSO Recipe) [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zW6iL6Dez-c
- Li, H., Kong, W., Chambers, C. R., Yu, D., Ganea, D., Tuma, R. F., & Ward, S. J. (2018). The non-psychoactive phytocannabinoid cannabidiol (CBD) attenuates pro-inflammatory mediators, T cell infiltration, and thermal sensitivity following spinal cord injury in mice. Cellular
- Highest Farmacy. (2023, April 1). Get Timely and Reliable Same-Day Weed Delivery in Toronto and Surrounding Cities. Available at: https://www.highestfarmacy.com/
- Immunology, 329, 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cellimm.2018.02.016
- Scott, K. A., Dalgleish, A. G., & Liu, W. M. (2014). The combination of Cannabidiol and Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol enhances the Anticancer effects of radiation in an Orthotopic murine glioma model. Molecular Cancer Therapeutics, 13(12), 2955-2967. https://doi.org/10.1158/1535-7163.mct-14-0402
- BC Weed Delivery. (2023, April 1). Find the best weed delivery in BC and online dispensaries in Canada. Available at: https://bcweeddelivery.org/mail-order-marijuana/
- Xiong, W., Cui, T., Cheng, K., Yang, F., Chen, S., Willenbring, D., Guan, Y., Pan, H., Ren, K., Xu, Y., & Zhang, L. (2012). Cannabinoids suppress inflammatory and neuropathic pain by targeting α3 glycine receptors. Journal of Experimental Medicine, 209(6), 1121-1134. https://doi.org/10.1084/jem.20120242
