Rick Simpson Oil, Honestly: The History, the Facts, and Where the Sisters Stand

People often ask us about Rick Simpson Oil, usually shortened to RSO, and the questions are almost always tangled up with big claims they have read somewhere. We are the Sisters of the Valley, and our way is to answer honestly, so let us separate the history from the hype. We will tell you who Rick Simpson was and why he matters, explain what RSO actually is, look squarely at its risks, and draw a clear line between that high-THC product and the gentle, hemp-derived CBD our sisterhood makes. No how-to, no miracle promises, just the truth as best we understand it.

Cannabis oil is older than the name

One thing worth knowing right away is that whole-plant cannabis oil is not a modern invention. Humans have prepared oils and extracts from the cannabis plant for a very long time. Cannabis turns up in ancient texts and traditions across the world, and some scholars have even argued that a fragrant herb named in old scripture may have been cannabis, woven into sacred anointing oils of the ancient Near East. We share that not as settled fact, since translations of very old words are debated, but as a reminder that people have valued this plant across cultures and centuries.

So when a product gets a brand-new name, it helps to remember the long story behind it. Rick Simpson did not invent cannabis oil. What he did was bring one very potent, high-THC form of it into the modern conversation, loudly and at real personal cost, at a time when simply talking about the plant could get a person into serious trouble.

Who was Rick Simpson, and why does the oil carry his name?

Rick Simpson is a Canadian cannabis activist who became widely known in the early two-thousands for promoting a homemade, highly concentrated cannabis oil and for teaching others about it openly. He did this in an era when the plant was heavily stigmatized and largely illegal, and he faced real persecution for his outspokenness, eventually leaving his home country. Because he was among the first of the modern era to talk about concentrated cannabis oil so publicly, people began attaching his name to it, and the term Rick Simpson Oil, or RSO, stuck.

Here is a detail many people miss: Rick Simpson does not actually sell a product called Rick Simpson Oil. The name grew up around him from the community, not from a brand. Whatever one thinks of the specific claims he made, his willingness to speak up when it was costly helped push a broader, more honest public conversation about the cannabis plant. We can honor that courage while still being careful and truthful about what his oil is and is not.

“We owe a debt of gratitude to the activists who spoke up for this plant when it was dangerous to do so. Honoring that courage does not mean repeating every claim uncritically. We can be grateful and honest at the same time, and we try to be both.” With love, the Sisters of the Valley

What RSO actually is

Let us be precise, because precision protects people. RSO is a crude, whole-plant cannabis extract that is unusually concentrated and, when made from high-THC cannabis, exceptionally rich in THC, the compound responsible for the intoxicating “high” of marijuana. It is dark, thick, and potent. That is the defining feature of the product, and it is exactly why it must be talked about carefully rather than casually.

This is the crucial distinction we want every reader to walk away with. There are two very different things that sometimes get blurred together:

We make the second kind. The USDA draws the legal line between hemp and marijuana at no more than three-tenths of one percent THC by dry weight; below that line a plant is hemp, above it the law treats it as marijuana, and you cannot make marijuana products with a hemp license. The USDA’s hemp program FAQ spells this out plainly. RSO made from high-THC cannabis sits firmly on the marijuana side of that line, and under federal law marijuana remains a Schedule I controlled substance, though its federal status is under active review. If you want to understand the difference between hemp and cannabis oil more fully, our people wrote a clear guide on the difference between hemp oil and CBD oil.

Why we will not teach you to make it, or claim it cures anything

You will find plenty of corners of the internet that walk through making high-THC oil at home, often wrapped in dramatic promises about curing serious illness. We will not be one of them, and we want to be honest about why.

First, on the claims. The most famous story attached to RSO is that it healed a skin cancer in a matter of days. We understand why that story spread, and we hold compassion for anyone facing illness who reaches for hope. But that kind of claim has not been borne out by the large, careful human studies that medicine relies on, and presenting it as established fact can do real harm if it leads someone to delay or skip treatment that could help them. While researchers continue to study cannabinoids and there is genuine scientific interest in the plant, no homemade oil is a proven cure for cancer or any other disease, and we will never tell you otherwise. If you or someone you love is facing a serious diagnosis, please work with your doctors. Plant medicine, where it has a role at all, belongs in that conversation, not in place of it.

Second, on the how-to. Making a high-THC extract is, in most places, the production of a controlled substance, and the process carries real safety and legal risks. We are not going to publish a recipe for that. It would be irresponsible for us as a hemp company, and frankly it could put readers in legal jeopardy depending on where they live. There is a reason we keep our own work squarely on the hemp side of the line.

Because so much misinformation travels with this product, here is a plain table separating some common claims from the honest reality.

An honest look at the risks of high-THC products

Because high-THC products like RSO are so concentrated, taking too much can be genuinely unpleasant, especially for someone without much cannabis tolerance. People describe intense anxiety or paranoia, a racing heart, confusion, trouble with coordination, and in stronger doses even temporary hallucinations. It is not the gentle experience some folks expect, and it is one more reason these products are generally not recommended for newcomers. Driving or operating anything while intoxicated is dangerous and illegal, full stop.

We are not raising these points to frighten anyone, only to be truthful. The honest picture is that cannabis has a wider margin of safety than many substances, and a THC experience, however miserable in the moment, is usually temporary. But “usually temporary” is not the same as “nothing to respect.” If a person ever feels truly unwell or frightened, the kind and sensible thing is to seek medical help. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health keeps a balanced, plain-language overview of what is and is not known about cannabis and cannabinoids, and it is a good place to read more.

If you are ever weighing any cannabis product, high-THC or gentle, a few honest questions help keep you safe.

Where the Sisters fit, and what we actually make

Our sisterhood grows high-CBD, low-THC hemp and makes gentle, non-intoxicating products from it: CBD oils, salves, capsules, tinctures, teas, and soaps. Our oils are made with hemp-based CBD in a coconut-oil base, hand-prepared in small batches timed to the cycles of the moon, with prayers for the people sewn into every bottle. They are designed so they will not get you high and will not cause you to fail a drug test, and every batch is third-party lab tested for potency and purity. That is a deliberately different path from the high-THC world of RSO.

If you have been curious about whole-plant cannabis oil and what it can gently offer, our CBD infused oil and its stronger sibling, our double-strength CBD oil, are the honest, legal, non-intoxicating way to explore it. You can read the lab results for every batch on our lab test results page before you ever buy.

About the Sisters of the Valley

We are a women-led sisterhood based in Merced, California, making plant-based, hemp-derived CBD and natural-wellness products by hand. We grow our own plants, create our own formulations, and make everything in small, fresh batches timed to the cycles of the moon, in a spiritual environment, with prayers for the people sewn into every bottle and jar. We third-party lab test every batch for potency and purity, and we ship where the law allows. We are not a big-box brand, and we are not a marijuana dispensary. We are a small circle of women who believe plant medicine should be made with care and offered with honesty, which is exactly why you will never catch us promising a cure or teaching anyone to make a controlled substance. You can read more about who we are on our story page.

Frequently asked questions

Is Rick Simpson Oil the same as CBD oil?

No. RSO is typically a very high-THC cannabis extract and is strongly intoxicating. CBD oil, like the kind we make, is hemp-derived, kept under the legal THC limit, and non-intoxicating. They come from the same plant family but are very different products with very different effects and legal status.

Does RSO cure cancer?

No homemade oil is a proven cure for cancer or any other disease, and we would never claim otherwise. The well-known story of RSO healing a skin cancer has not been borne out by careful human studies. Researchers continue to study cannabinoids, which is hopeful, but if you are facing illness, please work with your doctors rather than relying on any oil.

Do the Sisters sell RSO or high-THC products?

No. We are a hemp-derived CBD maker, not a high-THC operation, and we are not a dispensary. Everything we make is non-intoxicating and kept under the legal THC limit. We make CBD oils, salves, capsules, tinctures, teas, and soaps.

Is high-THC RSO legal?

It depends heavily on where you live, and it is complicated. Under federal law, marijuana, which includes high-THC extracts, remains a controlled substance, though its status is under review, while state laws vary widely. Hemp-derived CBD under the legal THC limit is treated differently. Always check the current rules in your own state from official sources before making any decisions.

Why name an oil after Rick Simpson if he doesn’t sell it?

The name came from the community, not from a brand. Rick Simpson popularized and openly taught about concentrated cannabis oil during a time of heavy stigma, and people attached his name to it out of recognition. He does not actually market a product under that name himself.

If I want to try cannabis oil gently, where should I start?

If you are looking for a gentle, legal, non-intoxicating place to start, our hemp-derived CBD oils are made for exactly that. Start low, read the lab results, and reach out to us with questions. And as always, talk with your doctor, especially if you take medication or have a health condition.

A grounded invitation

The story of Rick Simpson Oil is really a story about a plant people have loved and argued over for a very long time, and about the activists who helped bring it into the open. We are glad to tell that story honestly. We are just as glad to be clear about what we do: we make gentle, hemp-derived, lab-tested CBD, not high-THC extracts, and we will always choose honesty over hype. If you would like to explore the calm, non-intoxicating side of this plant, our CBD oil collection is a good place to begin. Thank you for caring about the truth of where your plant medicine comes from.

This article is for educational purposes and is not medical or legal advice. Our products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Cannabis and hemp laws vary by state and change frequently; please check the current rules in your own state from official sources. If you are facing a health condition, please work with a qualified healthcare professional.