Oils and extracts from cannabis make news in the press and popular internet culture. The better way to say this would be that researchers and enthusiasts have found a way to administer just the good qualities of this plant to those in need of its therapeutic benefits.
According to some internet forums, the cannabis oil market has worried the pharmaceutical industry based on emerging research and medical findings. Could there be some truth to cannabis being able to heal cancerous tumors and even cut down the chances of developing them?
A man who has become an urban legend amongst CBD and THC oil enthusiasts says he could prove it. The man who healed his skin cancer using a THC oil from Sativa strains is known as Rick Simpson. No, he’s not from the parallel Simpsons universe. He’s a regular man who discovered the Rick Simpson Oil or RSO Oil.
What is RSO Oil?
A few decades ago, the medical form of cannabis was fresh, unaltered buds and leaves. Then came the amazing idea of extracting the actual medicinal compounds, i.e., cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), from freshly harvested cannabis flowers and leaves.
Since the first few milliliters of marijuana oil, enthusiastic scientists have run tests and extracted CBD and THC oils from thousands of strains. It has been a long time coming, and many are now using CBD oils not for their own needs but also for their distressed pets.
RSO oil is one of the pioneer THC products of the early 2000s in the use of cannabis oil as a topical anti-inflammatory application. There is very little research on this oil, though. This is because it originated when the legalization of cannabis had not yet received so much as a whisper.
The ingredient ratios of Rick Simpson’s Cannabis Oil show it’s heavier on the sativa or THC side. As such, the effect of the oil, if ingested, would be the same as smoking weed. And not just any weed. This would be concentrated weed extracted using compounds like ethanol.
Still, RSO oil is potent enough to have therapeutic usage. Its thick yet syrupy form makes it easy to apply topically and ingest orally. You can take drops of it under your tongue or in your food and drinks, or apply it to your skin.
With regards to the high THC content, the actual psychoactive substance that creates the ‘high’ when you smoke weed, Rick observed that the subdued, ultra-relaxed stage of the oil is what makes the healing or therapy work. But who is Rick Simpson, and why was his idea accepted? Moreover, can you smoke RSO?
Who is Rick Simpson?
Before Rick Simpson became known as the cannabis cultivator and cannabis activist, the founder of RSO oil was an engineer in the early 90s. He was accidentally knocked out by toxic fumes from a hospital boiler room.
Even after receiving timely medical attention and care, he continued to be troubled by dizziness and tinnitus. As Simpson kept coming out empty-handed from medication and therapy, a search for alternative treatment from PTSD and tinnitus brought him to cannabis, and he started to grow and use it. He was then able to manage his symptoms.
As fate would have it, in 2003, Simpson stood face to face with skin cancer or specifically basal cell carcinoma, which shows up on the epidermis. He went further ahead in studying the therapeutic effects of cannabis. This led him to the Journal of National Cancer Institute, where the effects of cannabis on cancerous cells were being studied on mice.
He found that marijuana contributed to a decline in cancerous cells in mice with lung cancer. Inspired by these amazing results, Simpson came up with his oil in late 2003 and started applying it on the cancerous lesions that showed up on his skin. As he claims, his cancerous growth began to decrease after a few weeks.
We must remind you that there is no exact proof of cannabis treating cancer. Still, it's been shown to provide relief for inflammatory symptoms of cancer that come before or after the chemotherapy or other radiation treatments.
The current standing of the medical community on CBD oils is that it doesn’t fully treat or reverse cancer, but may help with managing the symptoms. The cannabis oils extracted from marijuana strains high in THC have shown promising results in helping cancer patients with nausea and vomiting - a common aftermath of chemotherapy and high doses of cancer medication.
Studies have also shown that cannabis oils can treat pain and improve appetite. Extended research on RSO, however, hasn't provided enough evidence about it treating cancer completely.
On the other hand, early studies on THC suggest that it may reduce cancer symptoms like pain and inflammation. Lab studies conducted on animal subjects found out that THC compounds may stop the growth of cancerous cells or tumors.
The studies focused on cancers of the lungs, skin, breast, prostate, and other cancers. They concluded that cannabis oils may stop the cancerous cells from spreading to surrounding areas, especially after chemo.
RSO Oil Benefits
In his case, RSO oil did help Simpson achieve the desired results for his skin cancers. Others in need of cannabis therapy have also tried and found it helpful in managing symptoms of:- Multiple sclerosis
- Arthritis
- Asthma
- Infection
- Inflammation
- High Blood Pressure
- Depression
- insomnia
Along with these, cannabis has been known to help with other health issues like muscle inflammation, mental stress, and mental disorders like epilepsy.
How to Make RSO Oil
A true marijuana supporter and activist, Rick Simpson, openly shared the recipe for making RSO oil rather than patenting it. So for users who want to try it with their strains, it is not rocket science, but you’ll need to know how to measure and some ingredients to extract the oil.
As per the beginner's regimen, this recipe shall produce 60g of RSO oil for use over 90 days of dosage. These are what you’ll need:
- 1 pound of dried cannabis flowers (Sativa strain)
- Two gallons of solvent. In this case, the best solvent could be isopropyl alcohol, but you can also use wood-grain alcohol if unavailable.
- 5-gallon bucket
- Deep bowl
- Wooden spoon for stirring
- Cheesecloth
- Rice cooker
- Plastic catheter tip syringe (60mL)
Once you’re done with gathering the equipment, get to work with these simple steps:
- Put the dried weed flowers into the bucket. Then, slowly pour the solvent until you cover up the buds.
- You need to keep stirring the mixture right when you start adding the solvent. Focus on crushing and mixing the cannabis well with the isopropyl alcohol for 3 minutes using the wooden spoon. This will mix the THC into the solvent, and it will retain about 80% of THC.
- Take the deep bowl, place the cheesecloth on it, and drain the solvent from the herb. Now put the herb part back into the bucket and stir for another 3 minutes.
- Follow the same steps and drain the rest of the solvent into the bowl. You can now discard the plant material left in the cheesecloth.
- Take the whole solvent mixture and start pouring it into the rice cooker. Fill the rice cooker 3/4th with the mixture and turn on your rice cooker. Having a rice cooker for cooking RSO oil is necessary if you’re making it for the first time and without supervision. A rice cooker cooks the contents at a slow rising and constant temperature. We need this because temperatures above 300°F will vaporize the THC into thin air.
- Use a rice cooker that sets a constant temperature between 210-230°F, which is the ample heat required for decarboxylation.
- As decarboxylation continues, the alcohol solvent will slowly evaporate and leave a thick syrup of THC. At this point, you can gradually add any mixture that you have left in the bowl. However, make sure that your rice cooker is in an open, well-ventilated area so that the evaporating alcohol, which is highly combustible, doesn’t light up your ceiling.
- After the solvent is up in the air and the THC is thick and syrupy, pull it into the 60mL catheter syringe for easy dosages.
RSO oil can be taken with food, lemonade, or even applied topically on skin issues. Using RSO typically depends on your and if you get high, make sure you’re home and safe in bed, healing.
Can You Smoke RSO in a Joint?
We’d recommend not doing that. RSO oil is created with highly inflammable alcohol, and when smoked in a joint or dabble in a bowl, it may pose the risk of exploding and other lung health issues.
Do not try to smoke, dab or vape it in any way, and keep others safe by informing them.
RSO Oil Side Effects
Since the main ingredient of RSO is THC from an Indica strain, there might be some unwanted effects. In case you’re a regular weed user, you might not notice such effects.
However, since THC is a psychoactive substance, some users may experience the following effects:
- Paranoia
- Anxiety
- Hallucinations
- Disorientation
- Depression
- Irritability
- Low blood pressure
- Bloodshot eyes
- Dizziness
- Slow digestion
- Sleeping issues
- Impaired motor control and reaction time
- Impaired memory
RSO oil is 80% concentrated THC and certainly provides a body high when used regularly. It may cause certain issues over long periods of exposure, but it’s safe to use otherwise.
RSO Oil Dosage
Due to its potency and THC concentration, taking the right RSO oil dose is important. However, it might be difficult to figure out how to use this potent oil. Fortunately, we have a detailed guide for you.
How To Dose and Use Rick Simpson Oil
Here is the exact regimen to dose your first 60 grams of oil in 90 days.
Week 1: Start with three doses every day. Take three 1-gram doses daily at 8-hour intervals. Each size should be half a grain of rice.
Weeks 2 through 5: Double your dose every four days. Keep taking the oil at regular 8-hour intervals but remember to double the size of the dose every four days.
Weeks 5-12: Revert to 1 gram of RSO daily until you consume the entire 60g oil pack.
In 3 to 5 weeks, you may develop tolerance for the 1-gram-a-day dose, taken three times daily. Then through weeks, 5 to 12, keep taking one gram a day till you finish the 60g of RSO.
Marijuana and hemp have already been categorized as herbal medication by many states. These amazing plants are used to make many usable and helpful products, including pre-rolled joints and moonrocks. Nonetheless, the cannabis product that has taken the medical world by fire is the oils. It might certainly be a bit bitter if ingested orally, but you can mix it with food or drinks like green tea. Enjoy your healing time!
