Hydrolife Magazine December 2017/January 2018 [USA EDITION]

learn
“
SIMPSON TRIED TIME AND
AGAIN TO TREAT THESE
DEBILITATING SYMPTOMS WITH
PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS,
WITH LITTLE TO NO RELIEF.
THEN, AS FATE WOULD HAVE IT,
SIMPSON SAW A DOCUMENTARY ON
TELEVISION ABOUT THE MEDICAL
”
BENEFITS OF CANNABIS.
Photo by Davor Pongracic
RICK SIMPSON
MEDICAL SCIENCE & ADVOCACY
Rick Simpson is perhaps the most unlikely individual on this
list to receive recognition for his contributions to the cannabis
space—he is simply a medical marijuana patient with
a profound story to share. However, in the cannabis culture
of 2017, “Rick Simpson Oil,” or “RSO,” is a term with widespread
recognition, as it denotes a form of cannabis oil that
is esteemed for its health benefits.
Simpson, a Canadian, worked a majority of his adult life as
a maintenance tech in a local hospital—often times being
exposed to volatile chemicals in poorly ventilated portions
of the building. In time, and due to prolonged exposures to
these noxious substances, Simpson experienced a “nervous
system shock” and passed out at his workplace. After this
initial medical incident, Simpson was plagued with nausea,
dizziness, and ringing in his ears. Following the advice of his
doctors, Simpson tried time and again to treat these debilitating
symptoms with prescription medications, with little to no
relief. Then, as fate would have it, Simpson saw a documentary
on television about the medical benefits of cannabis.
He followed the advice of the marijuana documentary and
began treating his symptoms with the herb, and was pleased
with the results. This instance was Simpson’s first encounter
with the wide-ranging benefits of medical marijuana.
Simpson’s initial experiences on a personal level
with medical cannabis were also quite impactful. He
subsequently began cultivating the plant and making
his own extracts and concentrates. To this end, Simpson
ingested cannabis oil on a daily basis as part of his regular
health routine, becoming a firm believer in the healing
capabilities of the plant.
As circumstances would have it, Simpson wound up contracting
basal cell carcinoma skin cancer in 2003—whether
the cause of the cancer can be attributed to his exposures
to noxious chemicals remains unknown. Upon hearing his
diagnoses, Simpson heeded the advice of his Canadian doctors
and attempted to have the cancerous growths removed
from his body via surgery. However, these surgeries proved
futile in controlling the disease and the cancer continued to
grow. At this point, Simpson decided to give medical marijuana
a try in treating his skin cancer. To add a new twist to
Simpson’s tale, instead of ingesting cannabis oil for his skin
cancer, he put the oil on the inside of bandages that were
then placed on the cancerous growths. Amazingly, after having
the cannabis oil-soaked bandages on his skin for only
four days, the cancer was completely gone.
After Simpson’s unprecedented recovery, he dedicated
his life to spreading awareness about the medical benefits
of cannabis. Simpson undertook a massive grassroots
effort to supply patients in need with medical marijuana
in Canada… for free. In time, it is reported that Simpson
supplied over 5,000 Canadians with free medical marijuana—starting
his renown as a public figure in the cannabis
space. In 2005, Simpson’s rise as a champion of the medical
marijuana culture also caught the attention of Canadian
law enforcement, which arrested him for the cultivation
of over 2,000 plants—all of which he planned on making
into oil for free distribution. While Simpson only wound
up receiving a $2,000 fine for this initial arrest, he became
a target for law enforcement. This attention would plague
him for years. Nonetheless, Simpson reportedly treated,
and helped cure, hundreds of cancer patients through his
grassroots, altruistic advocacy efforts.
Simpson no longer produces or supplies cannabis oil,
but his method can be found for free at phoenixtears.ca
or simpsonramadur.com.
56 grow. heal. learn. enjoy.
myhydrolife.com