What is RSO (Rick Simpson Oil)?
One of the most legendary, and perhaps one of the most important medical cannabis products on the market, is Rick Simpson Oil or RSO.
Rick Simpson Oil is a high potency cannabis concentrate that is easily made in half a day with only a few pieces of simple equipment and cannabis flower. It can also be purchased by medical cannabis patients in some areas of the world, unfortunately RSO is not always available and the quality can vary significantly.
RSO can test at over 90% THC content and is known among many medical cannabis advocates and patients as the “Holy Grail of Medical Cannabis.”
Rick Simpson Oil has helped countless people battle a wide range of ailments and symptoms due to its versatility, potency and relative simplicity.
What are the Origins of RSO?
Rick Simpson Oil, or RSO for short, was developed almost by mistake by Canadian, Rick Simpson in the early 2000’s. The brief description of his story below will shed light on the simplicity and effectiveness of Rick Simpson Oil. It is quite the story!
Rick Simpson had an accident at work in 1997 and suffered a head injury which caused a traumatic brain injury. Afterwards he was diagnosed with Post Concussion Syndrome (PCS), which caused constant ringing in his ears 24/7, disrupting his ability to sleep and to have a normal, productive life.
A year or so after his injury Rick saw a television program which featured people using cannabis to treat their ailments.
Spurred by this television program he procured some cannabis from people he knew who grew it. After smoking it, Rick realized that the cannabis was more effective at treating the symptoms of his ailment than the array of medications that his doctors had prescribed!
Over the following years Rick saw his doctors regularly for check-ups and during these check-ups he would ask them for a prescription for hemp. None of his doctors were willing to write Rick a prescription for hemp, let alone cannabis.
During one of his routine visits Rick inquired about the possibility of improving the medical benefits he was receiving through cannabis therapy by rendering the cannabis into an essential oil and ingesting it rather than smoking dried cannabis flower.
Although his doctor agreed with Rick that the method described may improve the overall medical efficacy of his cannabis therapy, he was still denied access to cannabis for medical purposes! In 2001 his check-up resulted in his doctor telling him they had tried all possible treatment options and unfortunately there was nothing more that they could do for him.
Apprehensive at first, but with nothing left to lose, Rick rendered his own cannabis into an oil and began to dose himself.
The effects of orally ingesting the concentrate he had created were much stronger when compared to simply smoking the dried cannabis flower. Rick noticed immediate results; he was finally able to sleep again and function normally in his daily life. The only side effect he noticed was weight loss, which concerned him initially but quickly leveled off.
Rick maintained a consistent regimen of oral administration of his cannabis oil and as a result he started getting more and more sleep, lost weight, and he also noticed that the arthritis in his knees disappeared!
Rick was quickly convinced of the powerful medical benefits associated with his creation of “Rick Simpson Oil” and he would use it again in the future for another ailment. In 2002, Rick received a diagnosis of skin cancer that manifested as a trio of bumps on his arm, sternum and cheek.
He went to his doctor and had the cancer near his eye removed for fear that it could spread to his eye. A week after the cancer near his eye was removed he inspected the area and saw that it had become infected.
Building on his experience treating his brain injury with medical cannabis therapy, and remembering a medical report from decades earlier about THC killing cancer cells, Rick pondered why taking cannabis oil orally for the previous 2 years had not cured his skin cancer.
Discouraged, but not defeated, Rick made himself a poultice by saturating some bandages with the cannabis oil he had learned to make. Almost immediately the constant stabbing pain near his eye subsided and after only four days he removed the bandages to discover the cancerous bumps were gone!
Since his incredible recovery, Rick has shared his method of cannabis oil extraction via videos and seminars across the world in an attempt to spread the discovery of his easily produced and medically effective cannabis oil to patients who are looking for alternative treatment options for a variety of ailments.
Rick has become a legend in the medical cannabis community and has even provided free oil to countless patients who had no means of making it themselves. Unfortunately, He was persecuted for this by the Canadian Government and is supposedly living in exile.
Many people credit their lives to Rick Simpson and his creation, RSO.
Why do Patients use RSO?
Patients use RSO because it is a versatile and potent, full spectrum cannabis product that can be used for numerous applications and ailments.
The ideology of RSO is quite simple: it allows medical cannabis patients to consume more potent and precise doses (microdoses to huge 1000 mg or more doses) of a full spectrum medical cannabis extract, which can have a higher medical efficacy than smoking or vaporizing cannabis.
The effects of RSO are typically more powerful and longer lasting due to the way our bodies metabolize ingested cannabis.
RSO is extracted from the cannabis plant matter and the process distills the medically beneficial compounds of the cannabis flower, like cannabinoids, terpenes and flavonoids, into a full spectrum cannabis oil. First an alcohol solvent, Isopropanol, is used to “wash” the cannabis flower, dissolving the cannabinoids and other compounds from the cannabis flower. These cannabinoids and other compounds are then separated from the alcohol/cannabis mixture by applying constant heat in order to evaporate the remaining solvent. The benefit to this process of creating RSO is that extremely high levels of cannabinoids and other cannabis compounds are extracted, allowing the benefits of “the entourage effect”.
RSO is most commonly used in the treatment of cancer, either applied topically using cannabis salve and a bandage poultice, or consumed orally.
The goal for cancer patients, is to build up their tolerance to the effects of RSO in the shortest time possible so they can consume 1000 mgs (or 1 gram/1 ml) of RSO per day without being uncomfortable. Patients usually continue this treatment regimen for 30 to 90 days and then move to “the RSO maintenance dose” which will be explained later in the article.
Please note, RSO was traditionally made with a pure Indica cannabis strain because it was being used primarily for cancer treatment. Today, RSO is made using a variety of cannabis strains or combinations of strains, so it is important to match a strain specific RSO product with your own individual medical needs.
To learn more about the differences between Indicas and Sativas, we invite you to read this Kanteeva article.
In essence, RSO has enabled people to realize the healing power of full-spectrum cannabis concentrates and it has been proven to relieve the symptoms of a wide range of ailments.
From skin disorders to Crohn's Disease, RSO may be an option for you.
How Potent is RSO?
RSO is an extremely potent cannabis concentrate and patients can expect THC levels to be anywhere from 50% to 90%, depending on the quality of the cannabis used for extraction and the process of production.
What sets RSO apart from other cannabis concentrates is that it is a full spectrum extract that contains a large quantity of THC and other cannabinoids, terpenes and flavonoids that have been preserved in the oil. This allows the cannabis compounds to work together in a natural synergy, coined the “the entourage effect,” which may increase the medicinal benefits of RSO cannabis oil.
The potency of RSO is “Very High” and patients must start dosing slowly, especially if they have little or no experience with RSO and medical cannabis therapy. Tolerances are built up quickly, yet when people stop regular dosing, their tolerance can go down quickly as well, so be aware of this.
Start slow and build up from there!
There are numerous positive and negative stories in the medical cannabis community that illustrate the power of RSO. Patients testimonials include the successful treatment of ailments like cancer, epilepsy, arthritis, insomnia, chronic pain, anxiety, and more. Most people who have had negative experiences with RSO have ingested too much, which can unfortunately cause severe adverse effects, usually a result of THC overconsumption.
When cannabis concentrates like RSO are orally ingested, the effects are different when compared to smoking or vaporizing cannabis. Once ingested orally the effects of RSO can last for over 8 hours. It is important to remember that this method of application does not allow the patient to control the intensity or duration of effects after the initial ingestion; once you dose with RSO you cannot take it back!
Please be careful and responsible when orally consuming RSO.
RSO is a groundbreaking medicine, yet it can be easily misused due to its high potency; patients can be instantly turned off this form of medical cannabis because of the adverse effects of overconsumption of THC. Unfortunately, there are people who will “never” use RSO again due to the fact that they ingested too much in a single dose and had a terrible experience. We invite you to read the next section so you can manage your RSO intake responsibly.
How much RSO should I take Orally?
RSO patients fall into two categories:
- Cancer patients
- Everyone else
The necessary dosage of RSO really depends on your individual ailment, tolerance, personal preference and what “works” for you.
You can quickly build up your tolerance to RSO by increasing the amount slightly everyday. It is possible to climb from 5 mg doses to 500 mg doses over a short period of time. Once patients have built up their tolerance, many say that they feel little or no negative psychoactive effects when taking considerably large doses of RSO.
It is suggested that newcomers to medical cannabis and RSO start with 2.5 mg to 5 mg doses (the size of half a grain of rice) and slowly increase the amount from there. Typically you will be able to move to 10 mg after a few days, and then to 25 mg after a week, and so on.
Many patients take a 20 - 60 mg maintenance dose of RSO on a nightly basis. Some patients enjoy multiple smaller doses (i.e. 5 - 10 mgs) throughout the day, while others take larger doses (50 mgs or more) multiple times a day. Again, it all depends on your individual needs.
To learn more about oral dosages, we invite you to visit our Kanteeva article on Oral Dosage Guidelines.
What is an RSO Maintenance Dose?
The purpose of a maintenance dose of RSO is not to get the patient high, but to saturate the body with cannabinoids while still allowing the patient to maintain functionality. The RSO maintenance dose can help patients to repair neural pathways, relieve pain, modulate mood and more, while still being able to live a productive day to day life.
A maintenance dose is generally 1-2 ml of RSO spread over the month; this equates to 20 - 60 mg of oil per day.
What does RSO Look and Smell like?
RSO is a thick viscous oil that should look dark brown, almost like tar, when stored in a syringe or glass mason jar. When spread out RSO looks opaque and dark yellowish green. The overall colour of RSO depends on the strain used, the quality of the flower, the technique and solvent used in extraction.
The smell of RSO is unique; pungent, earthy and skunky. It has robust herbal notes, spicy undertones and an aroma that changes slightly depending on the specific strain(s) of cannabis used.
RSO tastes similar to the way it smells. It has a strong, bitter taste that is spicy and pungent. Many patients prefer to ingest RSO with gel capsules or use the “parachute method” so they do not have to taste it. Some people enjoy the taste of RSO and will apply the cannabis oil directly on their gums or under their tongue. This is called sublingual or buccal administration.
How can you Consume RSO?
One of the great things about RSO is its versatility. The list of ways you can use RSO, is almost as long as the list of ailments it can help treat.
One major advantage of RSO is that it provides multiple non-smoking options. RSO can be put into gel caps for easy oral consumption, spread onto anything from a cracker to a piece of a banana for patients who do not like swallowing pills, and used topically for skin conditions or rubbed onto an area of localized pain.
Some people prefer to smoke RSO but it contains some chlorophyll and sometimes trace amounts of the alcohol that was used as the solvent, which leaves an unpleasant taste and smell.
RSO is not recommended to be smoked.
What are some Benefits to Consuming RSO?
There are many benefits to RSO; from maintenance doses to cancer treatment, RSO is a versatile and powerful medicine.
Below are some examples of why RSO is loved by so many patients:
- It is economical
- Most of the excess plant matter has been removed in the process of making RSO so you do not ingest as much chlorophyll with your medicine
- The medicinal effects can last longer than 8 hours and some people have reported that they have had effects last for over 12 hours
- Doses are able to be scaled up and down with accuracy and as needed
- RSO easily mixes with most fats and oils so it can be used for a variety of purposes
- You can easily make accurate and consistent RSO gel capsules using MCT oil and a few pieces of equipment
- You can use RSO for microdosing and maintenance dosing
- You can use RSO to make most cannabis products like transdermal creams, edibles and gel capsules
Final Thoughts
In summary, of all the types of cannabis products on the market RSO is one of the most medically effective products available. There are few, if any, modern medical products that can help alleviate as many symptoms, for as many ailments, as RSO does without the plethora of side effects one can expect from most common medications.
RSO is an amazing cannabis product that has many medical benefits which the scientific community is just starting to understand. The potential for RSO as a medicine is astonishing!
We strongly believe in RSO because of its simplicity, versatility and effectiveness.
We Want to Hear From You
Please share your experience with RSO by commenting below.
If you still have some questions about RSO please post them in the comments area below. We also invite you to join the Kanteeva community to connect with others who have found success with medical cannabis.
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