If you have an interest in medical marijuana, then it won’t be long before you hear about RSO which stands for Rick Simpson oil. The legend of this oil has spread far and wide thanks to reports of its wide-ranging medical benefits, but who is Rick Simpson and what is different about the oil made in his name? In this post, we take a look at the answer to these questions and show you how to make your own batch of this wonderful THC rich oil derived from the Cannabis Indica strain.
Who is Rick Simpson?
Rick Simpson was actually brought to fame by accident and good fortune. Back in 1997, long before cannabis was getting the recognition and acceptance that it is now getting both for personal use and medicinal consumption, the now renowned Rick Simpson was working as an engineer in a Canadian hospital. AT the time he was working in a boiler room where he had been tasked with covering asbestos used on the hospital’s pipes with an aerosol glue to prevent its degeneration.
This boiler room was inevitably poorly ventilated and the toxic fumes from applying the glue led him to collapse and hit his head as he fell off his ladder due to a momentary shock to the nervous system. He lay unconscious for a couple of hours but when he awoke was able to drag himself through to the emergency room. He was soon discharged from his hospital sickbed but was soon feeling sick again and had a sharp ringing in his ears which continued for some years.
The medication he received did not seem to work and actually made him feel worse and after seeing a documentary showing the benefits of cannabis he asked if he could try medical marijuana, but was refused. It was at this point that Rick began to self-medicate with cannabis which soon had him feeling better. Because of how much he felt cannabis had helped him, he began to grow his own cannabis and started to make it into an oil to consume it. He also received encouragement from his doctors to continue using this oil although they could not officially endorse this at the time.
Free Cannabis for everyone
Rick didn’t stop just because he felt better. In fact, he recognized that others were probably in the same boat as he was and could also benefit from using his cannabis oil. As he was growing far more than he could use personally he started offering free cannabis for medicinal purposes to people who thought they might benefit from its use. Unfortunately, this kind gestured soon led to him being raided by the police and sued for his kind efforts and he had to move to Amsterdam.
In 2002 Rick noticed a couple of growths on his face and soon discovered that he had skin cancer. Having already benefitted from cannabis once, he looked into it again and found a 1975 study which showed THC and CBD had been shown to slow the growth of lung cancer in mice so thought he would put his oil to the test. He rubbed his oil into some bandages and wrapped them over these growths and, apparently, they soon disappeared from his face.
According to Rick, his cannabis oil had the potential to tackle the symptoms of cancer. However, it is important to take these claims with a considerable amount of caution and understand his personal experience does not indicate any proof and this treatment should never be used instead of other options. Rick’s case is only anecdotal and is much more important to listen to the advice of doctors and pay attention to peer-reviewed research.
Studies to date have had mixed results. Whilst a 2014 study, which was also carried out on mice, found that THC and CBD extracts seemed to improve the effectiveness of radiation therapy used against an aggressive form of brain cancer, a study in human cells found THC increased the growth rates of particular brain and lung cancer cells. More recent clinical studies involving human participants did not shed any light on whether cannabinoids can actually treat or even control cancer, although they were shown to be safe for use in cancer patients.
All this serves to highlight that you should not expect RSO oil to be a magic bullet in terms of being a cure for cancer and the evidence is not there to show it is necessarily beneficial. However, it is certainly worth talking to your doctor about.
What is Rick Simpson Oil?
So now you know about the Rick Simpson story, you are probably wanting to know what is the oil actually made of and how it is different to other cannabis oils. Well, interestingly enough, the recipe itself was first used way back in the 1800s by someone called W.B. O’Shaughnessy. However, since Rick Simpson offered this oil up for free it has subsequently come to be somewhat unofficially patented by him.
The main way that RSO differs from other cannabis oils is in that it contains much higher levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). THC is the part of the cannabis plant that gets users high as it is a psychoactive cannabinoid. The majority of cannabis oils on the market tend to be cannabidiol (CBD) based and usually contain less than 0.3% THC or even 0 THC. Rick Simpson also doesn’t sell his oil but instead encourages others to do it themselves using his method.
What are the potential benefits of RSO?
So we have already shown that the claims regarding cancer need to be taken with caution but what are some of the other claimed benefits? People have claimed RSO also has benefits for a number of ailments including: asthma, arthritis, the immune system, fighting infections, as an anti-inflammatory, high blood pressure, depression, insomnia, and multiple sclerosis. However, you should bear in mind that these claims are also untested and mostly based on anecdotal evidence.
How to make Rick Simpson Oil?
Ingredients and things you will need for this Rick Simpson Oil recipe:
- 1lb of Indica Strain cannabis (cured)
- 2 gallons of 99% proof isopropyl alcohol
- A deep bowl
- A 5-gallon mixing bucket
- A long handled wooden spoon
- Muslin/Cheesecloth
- A rice cooker
If you want to know how to make RSO, the first thing you are going to need to get your hands on is some cannabis buds or preferably entire plants. With this in mind, it is perhaps worth noting that if you are thinking of growing your own cannabis plants for this purpose, you should check you don’t live in a state or region where this is prohibited. The process can also be dangerous if not done properly so should only really be done by professionals.
However, essentially, making RSO is very similar to making Cannabutter and other types of cannabis and hemp tinctures. The Rick Simpson protocol requires the use of Indica cannabis strains for the best results. The buds or cannabis plants should be harvested and cured and then stirred and crushed into a bucket containing enough high-proof alcohol to cover your plant matter. This causes the resin and cannabinoids to separate themselves from the buds and plant matter.
Once the mixture has been resting for 3 minutes you can strain it through a cheesecloth or muslin into a separate bowl and return the plant matter to the bucket. At this stage, around 80% of the THC will have been captured. To get as much of the other 20% as possible you repeat the soaking and stirring process and strain the resulting alcohol into your bowl after three or four minutes. You can throw away the plant matter left in the muslin once you have done this the second time.
The next stage brings the rice cooker in to play. A rice cooker is a good choice because when heating the high-proof alcohol you do not want there to be any sparks or flames anywhere near it as it will set on fire pretty dramatically and very easily. Rice cookers also make it easy for you to control the temperature for a long period of time. You will need to make sure your mixture never reaches above 300 degrees Fahrenheit as this will cook off the cannabinoids.
You should keep the rice-cooker heated to between 210 and 230 degrees Fahrenheit which helps your mixture to decarboxylate. However, you should ideally set this up outdoors because this stage in the process is potentially dangerous as when the alcohol evaporates it can explode if the fumes touch the heating surface. Therefore it is a good idea to point a fan directly at the cooker to move the fumes away from the heat source and being outside prevents the damage an explosion could cause.
Decarboxylation removes the alcohol from the mixture, leaving only the desired cannabinoids in its wake. You will be left with a thick and sticky mixture that is black in color, extremely bitter, and highly potent. You should be careful with this as this is the famed RSO. This is powerful stuff so you should be careful with how much you use in a dose.
What strains make the best RSO in 2023
So now you know how to make RSO you are going to want to know what some of the best strains to grow are for you to get cracking with. You already know that Indica plants are the best for Rick Simpson Oil, but there are so many strains within that. Here are some of our favorite Indica, or predominantly Indica, strains that we know work well in cannabis concnetrates and RSO in-particular.
#1 Best Feminized Cannabis Seeds for making RSO: Afghan Kush Special
[cropking seed_link=”https://420bigbud.com/best-seed-banks/cks/feminized/afghan-kush-marijuana-seeds/” seed_img=”https://www.cropkingseeds.com/wp-content/uploads/Afghan-Kush.jpg” ]
These excellent seeds produce a cannabis plant that is particularly well suited to making cannabis concentrates and don’t cost an arm and a leg either. This Afghan Kush is high in both THC and CBD with up to 10% CBD content found in some of the plants we have grown from seeds. This is a purely Indica strain too which would make Rick Simpson very happy indeed. As the seeds are feminized you also don’t need to worry about knowing how to spot a male plant.
Other pros of these seeds are that: they can be grown both indoors and out (although you will need plenty of room for them to grow into); they flower nice and fast and will be ready after around 7 or 8 weeks; they are a strain that is perfect for use making into RSO and have been specifically made to be made into cannabis concentrates, and they have a reasonably high yield. The downside of these seeds is that they grow into huge plants and have actually been genetically modified.
#Afghan_Kush_Special #RSO_Seeds #Idica_Strain #Feminized_Seeds #CBD
#2 Best Feminized Seeds for Indica Strain with High THC: THC Bomb Feminized
[msnl seed_link=”https://www.marijuana-seeds.nl/thc-bomb-feminized” seed_img=”https://www.marijuana-seeds.nl/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/1024x/8b322e1c9b5c0c5eb940484b81eb6d8e/t/h/thc-bomb_7.jpg” ]
If you’re looking for an Indica strain with a high THC content that is perfect for use with homemade Rick Simpson Oil, then look no further. This plant is great for indoor grows as it doesn’t grow too big but still produces huge buds that are riddled with THC. Indeed, this Indica dominant strain has built a reputation for itself due to its high THC levels of up to 24%. The skunky smell will get your taste-buds tingling and might make you want to get in some smell masking equipment.
The other major benefits of these seeds are that: they are feminized and flower within 9-10 weeks; they grow well in most climates; they grow well in hydroponic setups and do particularly well when grown indoors if you don’t have a suitable outdoor space, and; you can increase yields by giving them a longer vegetation phase. The downside of these seeds is that they are very pricey and often sell out.
#THC_Bomb #Cannabis_Seeds #RSO_Oil #THC #Indoor_Cannabis
#3 Best Outdoor Cannabis Strain for RSO: Seedsman’s Afghan Kush
[seedsman seed_link=”https://www.seedsman.com/en/afghan-kush-seeds-world-of-seedswosr-4030841/” seed_img=”https://www.seedsman.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/1800x/040ec09b1e35df139433887a97daa66f/a/f/afghankush.jpg” ]
If you have an outdoor space suitable to grow cannabis plants and live in a mild climate but have plenty of sunshine, then these seeds will be worth considering. They are derived from cannabis plants found in the mountains of Afghanistan which is why they are so good at dealing with fluctuating temperatures. This Inidica strain would make Rick Simpson happy thanks to its impressive 21.6% THC content and up to 600-gram yields per square meter when grown outdoors.
Other benefits of these seeds are that: they are photoperiod so you can control when they flower and increase yields; the plants produce the sort of buds that are perfect for medicinal use; if you do save some of the buds for smoking the woody flavor is fantastic and the high nice and cerebral, and; the plant is sturdy and can be ready for harvest in as little as 6 weeks. The downside of these seeds is that they are not feminized so you need to know how to spot the males and move them.
#Cannabis #Weed_Seeds #Afghan_kush #THC #Seeds_for_RSO
#4 Best Autoflowering Cannabis Seeds for RSO: Seedsman’s Tutankhamon Auto
https://www.seedsman.com/en/auto-tutankhamon-feminised-seeds
When don’t have a large area outdoors suitable to grow cannabis or need to grow your weed more clandestinely, then auto-flowering strains can be a good way to go. These seeds will grow into plants that won’t grow much taller than 1 meter tall but still produce plenty of vegetation and really big buds that mean you’ll have plenty to play with when it comes to making your first ever batch of RSO. They also have one of the highest percentages of THC around which is nice.
Other great things about these seeds are that: they are auto flowering making them a good option for beginners and those looking to grow indoors; they have a really high content of THC of 20%; they grow with a lot of vegetation which you can add into your RSO mixer, and; they are suitable for cloning. The downside of these plants is that they take around 9 weeks to flower which is quite long for an auto-flowering strain. They also don’t deal well with too much humidity so you will need to control their environment carefully.
#Cannabis_Seeds #Tutankhamon #Autoflowering_Seeds #THC #RSO_Seeds
#5 Best Cannabis Seeds for RSO high in CBD and THC: Crown Royale Feminized
[cropking seed_link=”https://420bigbud.com/best-seed-banks/cks/feminized/crown-royale-marijuana-seeds/” seed_img=”https://www.cropkingseeds.com/wp-content/uploads/Crown-Royale-Feminized-Marijuana-Strains.png” ]
If you are after a strain that is suitable for use in RSO but is high in both CBD and THC, you may have been struggling to find what you are looking for. However, this strain will probably be just the trick for you as it has 21.5% THC and a pretty decent 2.1% of CBD content. This is a particularly resinous plant so will produce really sticky RSO that is going to be truly potent so is not for the faint-hearted. The high CBD content will also contribute to a good mood and boost your immune system.
Other pros about these seeds are that: they produce buds that are covered in glistening crystals which are going to come right off if you use the recipe above; it is a perfect medicinal strain; it can be grown indoors and outdoors, and it has been bred to be grown at home rather than for industrial purposes. The downsides of these seeds are that the plants do need a bit of care and attention so shouldn’t be taken on by absolute beginners and they don’t have the biggest yields.
#THC #CBD #RSO #CBD_Oil #Crown_Royale_Feminized
#6 Best Cannabis Seeds for RSO with big Yields: Marijuana Seeds’ Caramelicious
https://www.marijuana-seeds.nl/caramelicious-feminized
If you are looking for versatile seeds that produce big yields, then these seeds which can be grown indoors and out and easily produce 600 grams per square meter will certainly float your boat. These seeds have actually been used commercially as well as for home growers thanks to the fact they are so easy to grow. You will also be blown away by the resin that coats the colas on this plant which will be very well absorbed into an RSO batch.
Other pluses about these seeds are that: they are great value; they have a reasonably high CBD content alongside a high THC content; they grow into bushy plants with a lot of vegetation so can also be made into nice hash if that is something you are into; they thrive even in cooler climates, and; they don’t require an expert to grow large yields so are a great choice for a beginner grower. The downside of these seeds is that you will need plenty of space.
#Caramelicious #Marijuana_Seeds #THC #CBD #RSO_Seeds
#7 Best Cannabis Seeds for RSO for beginners: Seed Supreme’s AK-49 Auto
[seedsman seed_link=”https://www.seedsman.com/en/ak-49-auto-feminised-seeds/” seed_img=”https://www.seedsman.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/1800x/040ec09b1e35df139433887a97daa66f/a/u/autofem-vision-seeds-ak-49-500×500-1-500×500.jpg” ]
For those that are new to the homegrown cannabis game, it is well worth taking the time to find a strain that is easy to grow and copes well even in challenging environments (such as being looked after by someone who doesn’t know what they are doing!). These seeds can take a hell of a lot from a beginner and still produce decent yields at the end of it. In case you are wondering, this durability is because this strain is a cross between the AK-49 and the Lowryder and takes the best from both.
Other pros about these seeds are that: they are really cheap; they don’t grow that big so you don’t need a huge space to grow them in; they grow indoors and out easily; they flower rapidly so you won’t have to wait long before you can get stuck into making your own batch of Rick Simpson Oil, and; they are auto-flowering. The downside of these seeds is that they don’t have a high CBD content and they are a cross with the Sativa strain so Rick Simpson might not approve.
#RSO #AK_49_Seeds #Lowryder_Seeds #Cannabis #Rick_Simpson
Conclusion
The world of medical marijuana has a lot to thank Rick Simpson for. Through both misfortune and good luck, he chanced upon a way to harness the benefits of cannabis in a topical form. His desire to promote the benefits of cannabis for medicinal use also paved the way for a change in attitudes and all came out of his burning desire to make cannabis legal and its benefits recognized. So whether you enjoy cannabis for medicinal or personal use, why not give a nod to Rick Simpson to say thanks.