Image via Rick Simpson's website
A prominent cannabis activist and medical marijuana pioneer finds himself in an hour of need.
Rick Simpson, best known for the development of an eponymous cannabis oil that some have touted as an effective treatment against cancer, is recovering from a stroke he suffered more than two years ago, his wife revealed this month, a health trauma she says has kept him out of the public arena in recent times.
“For the past few years Rick has been absent from the public arena and most of the communication with the world and our much valued connections amongst the cannabis media community have been put on hold,” Danijela Simpson said in an email to High Times this week. “Rick and I have now, due to a change in our circumstances, decided to inform the public, that in May 2018, Rick suffered a stroke and has since then been in the process of recovery.”
The Simpson family launched a GoFundMe campaign earlier this month to help pay for Rick’s medical expenses. As of this writing, the campaign has raised a little more than $5,000, with an ultimate goal of $160,000.
“It has been a very challenging time for both Rick and myself in more ways than one, so we have now organized a fundraising campaign – the ‘Rick Simpson Campaign’ to help cover some of Rick’s medical expenses, those incurred during the last two and a half years and those which are still on the horizon,” Danijela Simpson said in the email.
“Rick Simpson Oil” (or “RSO,” for short) has become a well-known form of medical cannabis that advocates say can be used as a treatment for cancer. According to WebMD, while there is “no solid evidence for” such claims, there is “some early research suggests that some chemicals in marijuana have future potential as a cancer treatment.” WebMD described “Rick Simpson Oil” as “an oil made by washing cannabis buds with a solvent, such as pure light naphtha, and then boiling off the solvent leaving behind the oil,” that is “high in tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).”
WebMD also provided a brief backstory on how Rick Simpson came upon his medical discovery. “After a bad fall, he found that marijuana helped lessen his dizziness and other symptoms,” the website noted. “Later, when he developed basal cell skin cancers on his arm, Simpson used cannabis oil as a treatment. As the reports go, his skin cancers went away.”
“RSO” is “not a branded product,” according to WebMD, adding that Simpson “explains how to make his namesake oil” on his website but does not “sell a version of the oil for profit.”
In 2016, Rick and Danijela Simpson founded “Simpson RamaDur LLC,” a publishing company they said “was started with the goal to provide the public with all the relevant information about the healing powers of cannabis.”
In a write-up on the company’s website, Rick Simpson detailed what amounts to a life’s mission.
“I have been spreading awareness about the healing powers of cannabis since 2001, when I first treated myself,” he wrote. “I am not trying to seek credit for finding the cure for any disease. My only aim is to show people how they can heal themselves.”
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Hope some medical marijuana corporations executives see this and duely contribute to this go fund me. Rick is a pioneer and paved the way to medicinal cannabis. 160k is nothing compared to the millions companies like curaleaf/Columbia care are making.
I had a stroke 9 yrs ago,,,I am 77,,but I lived a wild life,,,I stared smoking herbs since I
was ?? yrs old,,,and after the stroke I still say that it saved my life,,,when I had the stroke
I could not talk, walk and with the herbs and PT,now I am back to my old self,,,still smoking
and having a wild time,,except for this covid 19,,,,Bless you all,,keep safe and have a great holiday
Rob
We all have an endocannabinoid system and as Dr. Bob Malamead says "we all have Marijuana like compounds in our bodies." Knowledge The endocannabinoid system has been steadily growing since the 1990s which is a time that knowledge of the endocannabinoid system began to come together in a comprehensive understanding, and now the sky is the limit to a new understanding of the healing potential locked within our bodies, Sadly we live in an establishment that hates hemp, and cannabis because hemp's economic viability could topple financial giants from their ivory towers, it is for this reason that hemp is frowned upon by the establishment. however people with human love like Rick Simpson, Bob Melamead, Dr. William Courtney, and a host of other people who have found the healing power locked within our bodies, and yet still not taught in the medical colleges of the establishment. As I am sure that you are aware the Phyto-cannabinoid THC in our bodies is a molecule called Anaandimide which although it does dissipate quickly from our bodies, whereas the phylo-cannabinoid THC ls a more rigid molecule that doesn't break down as quickly in our bodies and provides extended healing power in our bodies so this why THC stays in our body causing us to fail a pee test or having healing medicine in our bloodstream that stimulates our immune system and cell growth.
My mom had a stroke which paralyzed the left side of her body. I was told to give her a dose of lsd and the next she was able to talk again, and within a couple days walking, and after a week back to normal. I only gave her the 1 dose and continued with the cbd and thc, which she has been taking for years.
Thank you Rick for all that you have done for the world, we love you. You are in our prayers. God bless you
I know that Rick has been involved in cases where children have seizures. I am in need of information if anyone can help. Thank You Rick for your many years of research and the innovations you brought forth in the industry of CBD oil before it was an industry. I hope that you are able to fully recover and have your needs met. I hope that the world will provide you with that. Much Love to you and your family!
This guy is a multi millionaire! I am not sure why he is begging for money for his stroke on Go Fund Me? It doesn’t make any sense. He charges $60 for 5 drops for his oil! But I guess it is okay to keep his page up, since Go Fund Me is probably getting tons of money from him to keep his page up, anyone else pulling this would get in trouble, but no not him!
Sara, you’re showing your ignorance. Rick Simpson has NOT profited from RSO, he gave his recipe to the world for FREE. I hope you feel guilty for smearing the name of a good person.