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Alec Chenkus

What is Rick Simpson Oil (RSO)?

Updated: Aug 26, 2021


What is Rick Simpson Oil (RSO)?
Rick Simpson Oil, or RSO, is a concentrated form of cannabis

The Story of RSO

Rick Simpson & RSO
Rick Simpson holding his famous RSO

Rick Simpson was an engineer working in a Canadian hospital in 1997; following an accident in which Simpson knocked his head he would suffer from subsequent dizzy spells and ringing in his years for years, with prescribed medication having little effect and even making his symptoms worse in some cases.


After seeing a documentary highlighting the positive benefits of medical cannabis, Simpson sourced cannabis of his own accord and saw significant symptomatic improvement after his doctor refused to consider cannabis as a course of treatment.


A few years later Simpson noticed three suspicious bumps on his arm that would turn out to be basal cell carcinoma, a form of skin cancer. After successfully treating his symptoms in the past with cannabis, he turned back to the cannabis plant for his treatment after hearing about a study from the Journal of the National Cancer Institute that found THC impacted certain forms of cancer cells in mice.


For four days he treated his skin cancer topically, applying concentrated cannabis oil to a bandage and leaving the spots covered. When Simpson removed the bandages he was in shock to find that the growths had disappeared. While his doctor refused to acknowledge cannabis as an alternative treatment option, Simpson was now a true believer in medical cannabis.


It was from there on out that Simpson began cultivating his own cannabis and creating his own specialized form of cannabis concentrated, now known as Rick Simpson Oil (RSO). Leafly notes, "It became his mission and goal to distribute cannabis oil to those who needed it, free of charge." Simpson would go on to treat more than 5,000 patients with his RSO while facing continuous arrest, persecution, and raids. To this day, Simpson continues to spread the word of his findings.

RSO in Syringes and Capsules
RSO is often a very dark color, and can come in oil syringes or supplemental capsules

How to Use RSO

According to Leafly, for one patient the goal is to gradually consume 60 grams of RSO over the course of a 90-day period:


Week 1: Start with three doses every day

  • Each dose should be about the size of half a grain of rice and should be administered once every eight hours (in the morning, noon, and night). The first dose will be about 1/4 of a drop of RSO.


Weeks 2 through 5: Double your dose every four days

  • The average person will take between three and five weeks to reach the full dosage of one gram of RSO per day


Weeks 5 through 12: Take one gram of RSO daily until you've consumed the full 60 grams

  • Eventually, the patient will be taking about 8-9 rice-sized drops of RSO every eight hours

The taste of RSO may be bitter or unpleasant to some, so patients may prefer to ingest the oil by swallowing it directly or mixing it with other foods. Note: Do not try to dab RSO. It is made with high-proof solvent and could be adverse to the patient's health.


Side effects will mostly include sleepiness, however, daytime sleepiness should fade within three to four weeks. Increasing the dose gradually will help minimize the psychoactive effects and keep your tolerance to a functional level.


Important Note: Rick Simpson Oil should not be considered a cure-all for medical conditions, but many patients have experienced significant relief from their medical symptoms and conditions with the use of RSO.


Who Makes RSO in Ohio?

At the moment, the only processor in Ohio producing RSO is Wellspring Fields. The only dispensary that has confirmed they have RSO available is gLeaf Medical in Warren.

Wellspring Fields first to introduce Rick Simpson Oil (RSO)
Wellspring Fields is the first Ohio processor to product RSO

 

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