It’s important for any cannabis user to understand the different types of products available to them, so they can anticipate potential effects and how they may vary against an individual’s tolerance. One form of concentrate gaining notoriety is RSO, and its origins are beautifully DIY and its purpose is purely medicinal.

Otherwise known as Rick Simpson Oil, its eponymous creator is a Canadian cannabis advocate and consumer. According to Rick, he had been diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma, a form of skin cancer. Frustrated by the outcome of traditional treatment and having heard that cannabis had benefited others in similar situations, he took matters into his own hands.

Rick used his homegrown plants and developed a homemade concentrate with equipment from around his home. As he tells it, topical application of his oil directly on cancer-affected spots caused them to dissolve, and the cancer itself to retreat from his body. As extraordinary as his story is, Rick’s medical journey is based on his own retelling, and we cannot guarantee or even advise that such an outcome could be achieved. This doesn’t redact the value that RSO can have for some patients.

The RSO we carry, and others you will see for purchase, come in applicator or capsule form and are intended for oral ingestion, not direct treatment to the skin. However, Rick’s insights and recipe are lauded as the blueprints for RSO, and the resulting oil remains faithful to its namesake. RSO is considered a more medicinally therapeutic form of cannabis. One distinguishing attribute is its full-spectrum nature, where nothing is taken from or later added to the resulting material. This does tend to enlarge the effects of RSO, and many may find it more potent than other concentrates.

With the process of making RSO becoming more refined through state regulation and mass production, you can even locate strain-specific products. This allows for consumers to make more informed selections based on their individual needs. RSO can be fed directly into the mouth; it can also be mixed or baked into any variety of treats. If you do cook with RSO, always be sure you understand the dosage per serving, and all the better if the strain-specific oil is a taste you enjoy or one you can pair with your meal. As always, look to one of our friendly PSAs if you want to learn more.