Rick Simpson Oil (RSO) is a thick, dark cannabis extract that is usually very high in THC and is made by washing cannabis plant material with a solvent, then evaporating that solvent to concentrate the plant's cannabinoids. It is not the same product as CBD oil, and in most U.S. states it is treated as a marijuana product rather than a legal hemp product. Because RSO is tied to serious health claims, it helps to know what it actually is, how it is made, and what regulators and researchers say about it.
How Rick Simpson Oil Is Made
RSO is a full-extract cannabis oil. The general process looks like this:
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- Solvent wash: Dried cannabis flower is soaked in a solvent, most often ethanol or another alcohol, to pull cannabinoids, terpenes, and other plant compounds out of the plant material.
- Filtration: Plant solids are strained out, leaving a dark green or amber liquid.
- Evaporation: The solvent is evaporated off, usually with gentle heat, until what remains is a sticky, tar-like oil.
- Filling: The finished oil is drawn into syringes so users can measure small doses.
The solvent step is the part that carries real risk. Alcohol and other solvents are flammable, and poorly purged oil can retain solvent residue. Commercially made extracts are tested for residual solvents, pesticides, heavy metals, and cannabinoid content. Homemade batches are not, which is one reason health agencies discourage making RSO at home.
RSO vs CBD Oil: The Main Differences
The names get used interchangeably online, but the two products are not close to the same thing.
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- Dominant cannabinoid: RSO is typically THC-dominant. Most CBD oil is hemp-derived and contains no more than 0.3% THC by dry weight under U.S. federal law.
- Intoxication: RSO can produce strong psychoactive effects. CBD oil does not get you high.
- Legal status: Hemp-derived CBD is federally legal under the 2018 Farm Bill. RSO falls under marijuana rules because of its THC content.
- Texture: RSO is a thick, sticky paste. CBD oil is usually a liquid sold in dropper bottles.
- Production: RSO is a full-extract oil. Many CBD products are refined distillates or isolates with a narrower cannabinoid profile.
Why People Look Up Rick Simpson Oil
RSO is named after a Canadian man who promoted the oil in the early 2000s and claimed it could treat or cure cancer and other conditions. Those claims spread through documentaries and online forums, and they still drive most searches for the term.
What exists today is largely anecdotal reporting and laboratory research, not completed human clinical trials showing that RSO cures disease. That gap between popular claims and clinical evidence is important when you are weighing any cannabis product.
What Regulators and Researchers Say
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not approved cannabis or cannabis-derived products as a treatment for cancer, and the agency has issued warnings about products marketed with unproven disease claims. The National Cancer Institute notes that no cannabis product has been approved by the FDA for cancer treatment, though certain purified cannabinoid drugs are approved for other uses, such as chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. The American Cancer Society has stated that RSO and similar extracts have not been shown in clinical trials to cure cancer.
Research on cannabinoids continues, and scientists are studying how compounds like THC and CBD interact with the body's endocannabinoid system. That work is early, and it does not support replacing proven medical treatment with a cannabis extract.
Is Rick Simpson Oil Legal in the United States?
Because RSO is high in THC, it is regulated as marijuana under federal law. Legality depends on where you live and how you obtain it.
- States with medical or adult-use cannabis programs: RSO may be sold in licensed dispensaries, with testing and labeling requirements.
- States without such programs: Possessing or making high-THC RSO can carry legal penalties.
- Hemp-derived CBD: Legal federally at 0.3% THC or less, though state rules vary.
If you are shopping for CBD, check the certificate of analysis from an independent lab. It confirms cannabinoid content and screens for contaminants. That step matters whether you buy CBD oil, capsules, or topicals.
Practical Points Before You Try Any Cannabis Extract
- Talk to a physician, especially if you are being treated for cancer or another serious condition. Cannabis can interact with medications.
- Ask what is actually in the product. THC content, dose, and serving size should be printed on the label.
- Treat dramatic health claims with caution. If a product promises to cure a disease, that is a warning sign.
- Start with a low dose if you use THC at all. Edible and oil-based THC can take an hour or more to take effect.
- Keep CBD and RSO separate in your mind and in your shopping cart. They serve different purposes and carry different legal risks.
Key Takeaways
- Rick Simpson Oil is a high-THC full-extract cannabis oil, not a CBD product.
- It is made with a solvent process and is safest when lab tested.
- Claims that RSO cures cancer are not supported by completed clinical trials.
- Federal law treats RSO as marijuana, while hemp-derived CBD is legal at 0.3% THC or less.
- Anyone considering RSO should speak with a doctor and follow their state's laws.