The term “Rick Simpson Oil – RSO” refers to extremely potent decarboxylated extracts produced from strong sedative Indica strains, which have THC levels in the 90% range. This harmless non addictive natural medication can be used with great success, to cure or control cancer, MS, pain, diabetes, arthritis, asthma, infections, inflammations, blood pressure, depression, sleeping problems and just about any other medical issues that one can imagine(taken from PhoenixTears.ca).
While the major focus of the NSCC has been on the world of recreational cannabis, we feel that there is always room to promote the benefits of medicinal cannabis solutions. After the taping of our last podcast. Jay Scholle from Natural Solutions left me with a tube of the highly potent Rick Simpson Oil(aka RSO or Phoenix Tears). This form of cannabis is one that I have read about for quite a while now but I have yet to experience this marvel of cannabis alchemy. Jay first perfected the craft of making RSO in effort to provide treatment to one of his patients(his mother) with Multiple Sclerosis. RSO has been identified as a highly-effective treatment for a number of diseases and Jay has found that many of his patients prefer this method of delivery.
Just recently, Natural Solutions has partnered with a number of regional charities to make certain that RSO is available to those in need. Unlike many conventional pharmaceuticals, RSO and cannabis treatments are not currently covered by most health care plans and HMOs. In order to bridge the economic gap, Natural Solutions has decided to donate a percentage of their product to the members of our community who have the greatest need. The NSCC will continue to provide updates and news regarding the recreational cannabis community but we feel the need to let folks know about the great work that continues to happen of the medicinal side.
RSO should not be overlooked as a great solution for the needs of the recreational community as well. It's compact form provides an inconspicuous way to enjoy cannabis while on the go. Just recently, I traveled out of town to partake in a family tradition that involves making a large quantity of Soppressata by hand. The men from a number of families of Calabrese decent gather in late January to make dry-cured sausages for use in the traditional Easter frittata. This event is an all-day affair that involves quite a bit of sustained alcohol consumption with a raucous, innuendo filled banter. For the sake of my own sanity, I prepared for a long day of hard work by ingesting a small amount of RSO that I had stashed in my bib overalls. This particular form of RSO comes in a small, needle-less syringe for ease of dosing. The syringe can be quite off-putting to some who instantly associate the syringe with intravenous drug use. After a few questions from the group, a number of willing participants stepped forward to try RSO for the first time. One of the group referred to the taste and texture as "bong water syrup", while another ran for a Miller Lite to wash it down(RSO coats your mouth with a bit of a film that takes a few moments to dissipate). Within minutes the group had refocussed it's attention to the tasks at hand and got back to the arduous process of sausage making. This RSO was created from Amherst Sour Diesel and provided the group with an energetic, relaxed high that was the perfect enhancement for the work at hand. From this point forward the entire tone of the group shifted from hyper-macho banter to a calm, almost subdued conversation. In the past, the process would continue well into the evening hours but on this day we were finished by mid-afternoon. There were no fights, no arguments and no fear of anyone driving away over the legal limit. In other words, tranquillity prevailed.
The above story represents the thin line between recreational/medicinal cannabis consumption. While we were not treating any medical condition with the use of this product, the RSO had an instant and noticeable effect on the psychology of the group. Through Normalization efforts, I hope that we can reach a level of acceptability that is on par with the alcohol consuming community in the near future. This small example represents a positive shift away from the socially-acceptale practice of binge drinking.
