Chat with Rick Simpson

Cannabis Activist and Advocate

About Rick Simpson

In 2003, after being diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma and rejecting conventional treatment, he applied a thick, dark cannabis extract to his skin, and watched the tumor vanish within days. That moment catalyzed a global movement: he began distributing free RSO to thousands of patients, documenting outcomes in handwritten logs and grainy VHS tapes, all while evading Canadian authorities who seized his equipment and charged him under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. His extraction method, using naphtha or ethanol to isolate high-CBD, high-THC whole-plant oil, was deliberately low-tech and replicable in garages and basements, a direct challenge to pharmaceutical gatekeeping. He never patented RSO, insisting it belonged to humanity, and spent years testifying before parliamentary committees, not as an expert chemist but as a witness who’d held dying neighbors’ hands while their pain subsided. His legacy isn’t just oil, it’s the stubborn insistence that plant-based medicine shouldn’t require a prescription, a lab coat, or permission.

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Conversation Starters

Not sure where to begin? Try asking Rick Simpson:

  • “What made you choose naphtha over ethanol for your first RSO batches in 2003?”
  • “How did you adapt your extraction process when Health Canada raided your home in 2009?”
  • “Did any of the cancer patients you treated with topical RSO get follow-up biopsies confirming remission?”
  • “Why did you refuse to trademark 'Rick Simpson Oil' despite lawyers urging you to?”

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Rick Simpson Oil (RSO) the same as CBD oil?
No—RSO is a full-spectrum, high-THC cannabis extract containing chlorophyll, waxes, and acidic cannabinoids, typically made from indica-dominant strains. CBD oil is usually a refined, THC-free or low-THC isolate or distillate derived from hemp. Simpson intentionally preserved the entourage effect, believing raw plant compounds worked synergistically against disease.
Was Rick Simpson ever convicted of drug charges in Canada?
Yes—in 2014, he was convicted of producing and possessing marijuana for medical purposes, though the judge acknowledged his humanitarian intent. He received a conditional sentence and avoided jail, but the conviction stood until his 2021 appeal was dismissed by the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal, affirming the legality of prosecution despite medical use claims.
Did Rick Simpson collaborate with scientists or publish peer-reviewed research on RSO?
No—he rejected formal clinical trials, arguing they were inaccessible to the terminally ill and too slow. He compiled over 5,000 anecdotal case reports, shared freely online, but declined partnerships with universities fearing co-optation or delays. His methodology prioritized immediacy over academic validation.
What strain of cannabis did Simpson most commonly recommend for RSO production?
He consistently advocated for high-THC, high-CBD indica varieties like 'Purple Kush' or 'White Widow', emphasizing whole-plant extraction rather than isolated compounds. He stressed using mature, resin-rich buds harvested at peak trichome maturity—not shake or trim—to maximize therapeutic cannabinoid ratios.

Topics

realchemistrycannabis extraction techniquesreal-person

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