Whether you’re rolling joints or packing bowls, a quality grinder can elevate your session from good to great, and help you make the most of your stash. A decent grinder has sharp teeth that slice and dice dry herb into a beautiful, fluffy mound.

Some even have mesh screens to sift out chunks and preserve the extra-potent pollen, AKA kief. And those with an integrated storage compartment will ensure that not a single gram is wasted. The dankness is in the details!

Here are our picks for the best weed grinders in 2022.

The 4-piece grinder from Cheech Glass makes fast work of even the stickiest herb, and features bevels along the top lid that make it easy to hold and twist for folks of all abilities.

It comes in a variety of colours and sizes, and boasts a “pop and lock” connection style, so you no longer have to worry about perfectly lining up your grinder’s inner threads. There is a replaceable thick-grit screen and a bevelled crystal tray for maximum trichome retention.

The Tectonic9 Manual Herb Grinder features an electric vibrating motor; with just the push of a button it dispenses ground flower into your bowl, paper, or vaporizer. Because you don’t have to worry about opening up the grinder to access the flower, it helps cut down on mess.

It’s made with a space-grade anodized aluminum body for durability. Its compact design is ideal for use at home or on the go, and it features a magnetic flip spout that allows you to accurately position your aim.

This grinder from TITAN boasts a durable aluminum construction with 50 diamond teeth that allow for effortless and efficient grinding. It’s available in a number of different colours and sizes for smokers of all walks.

The bevelled design makes it easy to hold and twist, while the strong closure ensures a quality seal that helps prevent spills. It comes with a free pollen scraper and cleaning brush to help keep your grinder in top condition. The company even offers a lifetime guarantee for any manufacturing defects.

The OTTO grinder is a solid choice for newbies or those who struggle with mobility issues, as it grinds directly into a paper cone—no rolling skills required! Watching the cone fill with ground herb is even kind of mesmerizing.

It comes complete with organic paper cones that fit perfectly into the lower chamber for ease of use right out of the box. It’s battery-powered and charges via USB for use at home or while out and about. 

Known for their vaporizers, Storz & Bickel also make a decent herb mill grinder at a highly budget-friendly price. This one suits those just getting started with cannabis, or looking to keep a spare grinder on hand without a major investment.

Its extra-sharp teeth produce finely ground flower, made from durable plastic, it boasts a lightweight design that is easy to clean. It can accommodate up to 3 grams of dried flower in a storage area under the clear cover. 

This grinder is another fairly budget-friendly option for those looking for a no-frills way to grind their stash. It is made of aircraft-grade anodized aluminum for impressive durability.

The 28 aluminum diamond-cut teeth and 24 grinding holes make it easy to process your favourite herb with ease. The lid stays in place thanks to a neodymium magnet that also helps to keep odour locked inside.

There’s an advanced micron mesh screen in the chamber to filter all that delicious kief – which you can gather with the included kief scraper.

Caitlin McCormack

Caitlin McCormack is a writer based in Toronto. Her work has appeared in MSN, Lift & Co., HuffPost, What to Expect, and Mashable, among others. When she isn’t writing, she’s busy chasing after her two sons, testing out new recipes, and working on her century-old fixer-upper.

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A gram, an eighth, an ounce—what does it all mean? We’ve come a long way from the “dimebag” and “twenty-sack” days, but the legal cannabis industry’s interchangeable use of the metric and imperial measurement systems gets confusing fast; who hasn’t mixed up their weed amounts at one point? Keeping track of all the names associated with different cannabis quantities sold in dispensaries, delivery services, and from a guy (wink, wink) can be challenging, and at worst, a rip off. 

Central to the confusion is our conceptualization of weight versus mass, which depends on both product size and density. If you are new to cannabis, this video and written visual guide will provide you with a general framework to wrap your head around the common sale quantities for flower so you don’t get stiffed.

What do standard amounts of weed look like?

If grown well, 1 gram of cannabis flower comes out to about one medium-to-large-sized bud, or two smaller budlets. An eighth is usually made up of a handful of two to four buds, depending on stem size and how tightly the buds are packed; many operators save the biggest and prettiest nugs for their eighths. A quarter ounce will vary in volume depending on if it’s made up of smalls or hearty buds, but should easily fit in a sunglasses case.

As the quantities get larger, they get harder to predict in terms of size, but a half ounce to a full ounce of weed is enough to fill a standard resealable sandwich bag.

Something to note: these depictions are only informed approximations, given that density varies (at times drastically) between plants, strains, and brands. Indica strains tend to grow as stockier plants with thicker, denser buds, whereas sativas tend to have longer, more stretched nugs. Think of it like the riddle of a pound of feathers versus a pound of gold; a dense cannabis flower from the Cookies strain family can look a lot smaller than a fluffy bud of Jack Herrer, despite both weighing the same.

Thankfully, cannabis companies and producers must determine the exact weight of your weed before it gets packaged and brought to a distributor to be sold; even if it doesn’t look like an eighth in the jar or bag, the scales don’t lie.

It’s also important to remember that the weight of cannabis buds is not purely from the smokable parts of the plant. Some of the weight will come from stems and moisture levels. Cannabis flower will lose weight as it ages and dries out, so always check the package date when buying in-store. 

A gram of cannabis flower is going to look a lot different than a gram of concentrates or cartridge oil. We recommend asking your budtender for specific questions about dab and non-flower quantities.

How to convert ounces of weed to grams

Before the regulations that came with recreational weed legalization, you probably remember buying weed in fractions, depending on your needs; some weeks might have called for an “eighth” (⅛ ounce), and others a “quarter” (¼ ounce). But at the dispensary, you’re far more likely to see buds packaged in gram amounts. For reference, here is a quick conversion guide from ounces of weed into grams.

The price of flower depends on the quality of the product, the market (medical or adult-use), and the tax structures in the state and county in which it is sold. You can expect to pay between $10 and $20 for a gram of flower and $25 to as much as $75 for an eighth. Some companies offer bulk discounts and dispensaries often run deals to help with the sticker shock. 

Express Summary: Ounces vs grams of weed

Under adult-use regulations, the most a customer can purchase from a dispensary or delivery service in a day is one full ounce of flower. Medical marijuana programs may allow more, but most people hardly ever reach their purchasing limits.

The smallest amount of cannabis flower you can buy from a licensed retailer is one gram. A gram is going to roll about two personal-sized joints or about three to four bowls in a pipe or bong, making it a great option for the occasional consumer and when trying a new strain. Next size up, and by far the most popular amount, is three and a half grams, or an eighth. That’s enough for about seven joints; seven grams (a quarter ounce) will get you about 14 joints, so 14 grams (or a half ounce) can roll nearly 30 joints. Thus, a full ounce of cannabis, which is 28 grams, can roll nearly 60 joints or pack upwards of 100 bowls. 

Keep in mind that pre-rolled joints are often sold in half gram or full gram quantities. You may choose a half gram to share with a friend or a full gram for a larger group.

Slang terms for weed measurements

While dispensaries across legal and medical states have standardized their measurements and made a clear system for purchasing the legally-allowed amount of cannabis, for most of history people were buying weed based on visuals and what they could afford. This is where the code words come in. Even if you never intend to use them, stoners have always innovated the language pertaining to their most prized purchase. Here are some choice slang terms for weed measurements, in ascending order:

• A “g,” a gerb, a deag: a gram 
• A nickel bag: $5 worth of weed. This is typically half a gram to 1 gram, depending on your dealer’s generosity.
• A dimebag, dime, or dime sack: this is $10 worth of weed. While amounts vary by dealer, this is typically half to 1 gram.
• Twenty-bag, dub sack, or just a dub: this is $20 worth of weed. Amounts also vary, but hopefully you’re getting at least a gram to 1.5 grams.
• A sixteenth, half-eighth: this is half an eighth, which is roughly 1.75 grams.
• A slice: just as a pizza slice is one eighth of the pie, a “slice” is one eighth of an ounce.  
• A half-zip: this is a half ounce, or 14 grams. 
• A zip: this is an ounce of weed (28 grams), named for when they were handled in resealable plastic bags pre-legalization.
• A “qp” (pronounced as cue-pee): a quarter-pound of weed, or 4 oz. 
• A pack: this is a pound of weed, named for how they’re transported in turkey bags.

How to make sure you’re getting what you paid for

Before states implemented adult use legislation that included track and trace monitoring of all cannabis and derived products, many dispensaries operated deli style, allowing patients to customize the amounts of weed they wanted based on budget within view of the scales. Now that flower must be pre-weighed and packaged before reaching the consumer, you may harbor doubts that you’re getting your money’s worth. 

If you’re worried about getting jilted, we highly recommend investing in a scale. Once home, weigh out your weed and compare it to the amount listed on the packaging. If there’s a discrepancy, we encourage you to bring it back to your dispensary or contact the delivery service, with photographic evidence. Most companies have no qualms about replacing underweight product.

This post was originally published on November 18, 2014. It was most recently updated on June 14, 2022.

Leafly Staff

Leafly is the world’s largest cannabis information resource, empowering people in legal cannabis markets to learn about the right products for their lifestyle and wellness needs. Our team of cannabis professionals collectively share years of experience in all corners of the market, from growing and retail, to science and medicine, to data and technology.

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Push off those negative vibes, like shoo—there are plenty of reasons to put some amazing weed smoke in the air this summer.

We’re in a verified golden age for weed breeding and enjoyment. Champion-grade ganja blankets the country in 2022. Nineteen states have legalized it. The $25B legal industry ranks as America’s 5th largest cash crop. Modern weed blasts out designer flavors never before tasted, with higher, deeper effects never before felt.

Leafly’s annual Strains of Summer for 2022 includes new crosses of all-stars like Wedding Cake (Dream Cake) and Runtz (Red Bullz, Apple Tartz). It’s a summer of nostalgia, with ‘90s OG gas (Double OG chem), grapes (Alien Labs’ Y2K), and catatonic Hindu Phunk from Cypress Hill rapper B-Real. Their grower Kenji Fujishima has seven different OGs in their South LA flowering room.

“Word on the street is that gas is coming back—so green weed; a lot of OGs,” said Fujishima.

Lock the fridge—this summer, scrumptious new dessert strains like Cookies’ BernieHana Butter and Seed Junky Genetics Georgia Pie will be in every pantry. And it’s a summer of guaranteed gobstopping, candy-aisle, connoisseur terps—check the Zkittlez crosses like Zoap, Team Elite Genetics’ Pearadise, and Karma Genetics’ Zowahh.

Below, Leafly sniffs out the best-selling, award-winning, on-trend, dozen-ish hit strains for your summer. We looked at search and sales data, and interviewed top breeders, growers, brands, and stores across the US. Most importantly, we smelled and smoked file cabinets full of flavors. So pull up a chair and join the zaza conversation. Delivery services stand ready to take your order.

A summer of OGs

Double OG Chem

Break out the ripped denim—late ‘90s OG Kush, Sour Diesel, and Chemdog have roared back, baby. Rebel Grown Seeds’ Double OG Chem swept up at the Emerald Cup Awards 2022 in downtown LA, May 14. The all-star industry judges could not deny the classic lemon, pine, and fuel bite of OGs, and that heavy, high-THC, after-work, blast-off effect.

Double OG Chem is “two-thirds OG, one-third Chem with a dash of Sour,” says Rebel Grown breeder Dan Pomerantz, and will make you hungry, giggly, and relaxed. Exactly what we need amid the grim realities out there. Rebel Grown’s breeder carries forward the legacy of Humboldt County greatness into the legal age. Four of the top 10 strains at The Emerald Cup featured Dan’s work. “It felt great,” he said. “I felt really honored and validated.”

Woody Harrelson’s new weed shop in LA opened with Double OG Chem, and dozens of other Cali stores have it, too. Double OG Chem seeds are in commercial gardens big and small across the US—sometimes under a different name. So if you love OGs, Chems, Sours, and Glues, follow your nose to those terps and take home a bag.

Step on the gas

Animal Face

Sometimes you need to orbit the earth so high you can only hear heavy breathing and your pulse in your ears. Lunatics smoke Animal Face and go beast mode in a gym. Us mortals can enjoy this winner alone on the couch when ready to take our faces off for the night.

Animal Face crosses Face-Off OG to Animal Mints, and we’ve celebrated the Seed Junky Genetics strain since it jumped out of the bag and bit us in December. The Leafy Buzz strain grew into a Leafly Strain of 420 ‘22 and stays hot into summer, thanks to a first place finish in the indoor flower category at The Emerald Cup 2022.

Winning grower Fig Farms says they have a bunch of it this summer, so all of us mere mortals can bask in the glow of the judges’ favorite: expert-level, maximum fuel bite, dank-cookie back notes, and scorching high-THC effects.

Cake days and nights

Dream Cake

Take home a new Wedding Cake or Ice Cream Cake cross this summer for a guaranteed good time. Stoners keep Wedding Cake in the top 5 most searched this summer because the strain looks so icy, smells so inviting, and feels so yummy. People get relaxed, aroused, and hungry on Wedding Cakes—three feelings we could all use more of in the tense, hot months.

The easiest win? Order up Dream Cake (Wedding Cake x Sunset Sherbert) from Foxy Cannabis for delivery in LA and across California. Foxy’s team picks out and jars up only the most unique, iconic, fresh, small batches of LA indoor hydro; like, 100 pounds of each strain, or less.

Prepare to be stoked when the delivery arrives, instead of furious at a year-old jar of cardboard terps. “Everything is hand-curated. We pass on more than we’d like to,” said CEO Ryan Littman. Fashion never stops advancing, so when a Foxy flavor runs out, it’s gone.

Zkittlez country

Zoap

Another guaranteed win: Zkittlez crosses in 2022, especially to other champion strains like OG Kush and GSC. Go straight to the peak with Zoap. While everyone else iterated on Gelato, Deo Farms went a different way and got much farther ahead.

Like David Bowie in the Ziggy Stardust phase—it’s awe-inspiring. The secretive Oakland group dug deep into OZ Kush (Zkittlez x OG Eddy Lepp) to make a Pink Guava; then added Sunset Sherbert to make a Rainbow Sherbert—then combined those. If that just sounds like algebra, focus on Zoap’s inimitable look, and the smashing tropical-candy, creamy dank smells, and high-voltage, high-THC hybrid effects.

Zoap’s took home Best Overall at the 2022 Zalympix Championships in downtown LA, June 11. Find your snobbiest weed friend and wash their mouth out with Zoap.

See also: Cali Kush Farms Zowahh—Karma Genetics’ Zkittlez x Karma Sour D Bx.

Pearadise

Sticking with Zs and OGs, Team Elite Genetics’ Pearadise may win the High Times Cannabis Cup SoCal People’s Choice 2022 for sativa flowers. It’s new, different, and well-made enough to go up against the champ, Gelonade.

LA remains the global epicenter of designer weed; they know peachy Zkittlez OG goes great with daytime fun—like disc golf or a chill hike. Pearadise fuses Peach Oz with Kosher Kush for a paradisiacal, pear-fuel smell, and daytime hybrid sativa effects.

See also: Wonderbrett Pink Picasso (Candyland x OZ Kush), which comes to Michigan this summer.

Runtz up your summer

Apple Tartz

Apple Fritter has clawed its way into the top 20 most popular strains in the US through sheer genetic power. Runtz won Leafly Strain of the Year 2020 and became a national top 10 flavor. Get them on their own this summer, or even better, together: Check out Apple Tartz from legacy, small-batch indoor growers, SF Cultivators.

Apple Tartz has the bright green of Fritter and the deep purple of Runtz and hits the sweet spot between tart, sweet, and creamy gas. It’s bred by highly respected Clearwater Genetics and leans more Cookie/Diesel, with Zkittlez adding loudness. Pair this high-THC hybrid with some chillaxation, like watching the local game with a craft brew.

See also: Colorado’s Veritas Apple Fritter (Sour Apple x Animal Cookies)

Red Bullz

Listen up, Runtz nation. Leading breeder Compound Genetics has begun running Red Bullz for the California legal market, and drops Red Bullz flower at the Zalympix Championships awards ceremony, June 11. Few breeders chase the platonic ideal of perfect pot harder than Compound.

Red Bullz smashes Grape Gas to White Runtz and smells like preternaturally strong grape candy that’s also tropical, spicy, and fuel-like. Effects hit like a super duper high-THC hybrid, for a concert crossfade or a gaming marathon.

The Compound flower brand officially launches with Red Bullz, plus Mellowz #8 (Spritzer x Grape Gas), Grapple Pie (Apple Fritter x Grape Gas), Jokerz #31 (White Runtz x Jet Fuel Gelato), and Rainbow Cheddar (Zkittlez x Cheese). For the growers, Compound pushes Pave (Paris OG x The Menthol)—a project with Migos’ Quavo, plus Cookies. Gangsta.

Cookie monster mode

Georgia Pie

This summer, America has developed a distinct craving for Seed Junky Genetics’ Georgia Pie (Gellati x Kush Mints). The crew at Real Eve Farms in Oregon are making a name for themselves on this cultivar alone. At this year’s Oregon Leaf Bowl, their Georgia Pie took home the gold in the mixed-light category.

With big fruit flavors and a fresh-baked bread scent, it’s easy to see why. A rough trim shows the dense trichomes coating both the buds and sugar leaves. The origin of the fruity peach scents? Anyone’s guess. But there’s certainly plenty of those bright and sweet scents to go around.

Lighting up a J is the best way to enjoy the big kush notes on the inhale and a pronounced effect that left us as baked as a pie fresh out of the oven.

See also: Cereal A La Mode from Powerzzzup—a new Cookie cross of Cereal Milk x Georgia Pie won Best Looking at the LA Zalympix Championships of ‘22.

BernieHana Butter

There are more potential weed terpene combos than could be smoked in a lifetime, so leave room for butter and dough aroma amid funk, floral, berry, and gas. Smoke the same as weed and rap mogul Berner this summer with BernieHana Butter—a crazy, intense GSC family cross (Jet Fuel Gelato x Guava) x (Blue Cookies x Oreoz).

Since surviving cancer, Berner’s made “no time for negative energy” a mantra, and this strain protects your peace with a calm, relaxing body high, that’ll help you go easy on yourself.

See also: For more GSC royalty—Blueprint Triple Lindy in CA, Decibel Farms’ Macaroon #31 (MAC x Cookies and Cream).

Fresh Purps

Purple Octane

Some folks will not buy weed unless it’s purple—and those folks buy a lot of weed; a lot of weed from leading breeder/grower Seed Junky Genetics. Shocker, the LA gang has a purple on tap this summer—their Purple Octane.

It’s got a tank full of GSC genes that grow out grapey, gassy, and cookie, hitting purple gas lovers right in the nostrils and pinning them to the back of their seat with maximum THC scores. “This is a strain that’s been picking up a lot of traction in the market due to its coloring as well as its nose,” the SJG team tells us. “We’ve had it on our menu here and there, but expect to keep the volume up through the summer.”

See also: Lithouse’s Emerald Cup ’22-winning Modified Grapes (GMO x Purple Punch).

Straight indica old school

Hindu Phunk (aka Hindu Kush)

We’re seeing a lot of breeders hunting deep in their genetic libraries, digging out a classic, and polishing it up for today’s heads. For example, rapper B-Real’s brand Insane popped an ancient seed of deep indica Hindu Kush and found a 2022 winner in Hindu Phunk. It’s big, icy, dark, hashy, and minty, with insomnia-crushing indica effects.

“We’re definitely getting a lot more requests for it, so we’re bumping up production of that one,” said Kenji Fujishima.

The legacy cultivation licensee has a 400-light indoor farm in South LA pumping out the Phunk, and lots of OG crosses, so stay on them. Hindu Phunk crushes regular insomnia or something spicier; like when the molly starts wearing off.

And a GMO to go

Chemical Compound

Speaking of heavy indicas, we saved a GMO Cookies cross for last. Chemical Compound comes from Nevada flower brand Pistola, via the Thrive Cannabis Marketplace. Pistola’s flagship strain crosses GMO Cookies x Otter Popz for a weird, singularly heady, intense hybrid that pairs with Amazon’s new season of The Boys.

See also: Freddy’s Fuego of Washington’s Dante’s Inferno #4 (Devil Driver x Oreoz); bred by Clearwater Genetics and Tiki Madman.

Oregon freelancer Ryan Herron contributed to this story.

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David Downs

David Downs directs news and lifestyle coverage as the California Bureau Chief for Leafly.com. He’s written for WIRED, Rolling Stone and Billboard, and is the former cannabis editor of the San Francisco Chronicle, as well as the author of several cannabis books including ‘Marijuana Harvest’ by Ed Rosenthal and David Downs. He co-hosts The Hash podcast. TW: @davidrdowns | IG @daviddowns

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Rick Simpson Oil, called RSO for short, is one of the most versatile and lauded cannabis innovations—an oil created by Rick Simpson, a Canadian engineer and cannabis advocate who was radicalized to cannabis activism by a work accident that led to various health issues. 

The story goes that he was able to resolve his health issues with RSO, a dark, tar-like cannabis extract that straddles the line of concentrate, edible, and topical. In short: There’s very little it can’t do, and a lot it can do for both patients and stoners. Here’s everything you need to know about RSO.

What is RSO?

Put simply, RSO is an oil derived from cannabis. But rather than a solvent extract that strips trichomes from buds, RSO contains all the cannabinoids, terpenes, and additional compounds of the whole cannabis plant. 

The extraction process is complex and fairly long, similar to making a tincture. It’s typically near-black in color, and, admittedly, doesn’t taste great due to its high amount of plant matter (it uses the whole plant).  

RSO was created as a medicinal therapeutic for cancer and other chronic health conditions, like MS and asthma. While Rick Simpson no longer produces the oil himself, it remains a crucial ingredient in the treatment plans of patients across North America.

Rick Simpson’s story

Rick Simpson wasn’t looking to become a marijuana icon. He was a Canadian engineer working at a hospital in 1997, tasked to work on some asbestos-covered pipes in a boiler room. The poor ventilation and toxic fumes caused him to pass out and fall off his ladder, after which he was taken to the emergency room. 

He developed tinnitus and dizzy spells soon after, and no prescribed medication seemed to help. Despite its illegality and against the advice of his doctor, Simpson began using medical marijuana with great results in reliving his symptoms. 

In 2003, he was diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma, a type of skin cancer. By then, Canada had legalized cannabis for medicinal purposes, but it was hard for Simpson to find a doctor who supported his use. A 1975 study in the The Journal of the National Cancer Institute showed how cannabis and its compounds inhibited tumor growth in mice, inspiring him to create RSO. 

He has always maintained that applying RSO to his cancer growth and leaving it bandaged for four days cured him of cancer, but this has not been independently verified. 

Simpson began producing the oil en masse and distributing it to thousands of patients for free. In 2009, his property was raided by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and thousands of cannabis plants were confiscated. 

To escape legal persecution, Simpson now lives in Croatia and maintains a website for his RSO recipe, dosing guide, and books. In 2018, he suffered a stroke and has since receded from the public but continues to advocate for RSO and medical cannabis.

Benefits of RSO

Despite Rick Simpson’s near-miraculous recovery from cancer and tinnitus, cannabis’ Schedule I status means the scientific community lacks consistent research to back up these claims. As more and more states legalize adult-use cannabis, however, more data becomes available. 

There have been promising reports that attest to RSO’s efficacy, such as a 2013 article showing that the use of RSO severely decreased the leukemic blast cell count in a 14-year-old terminal patient, with no toxic side effects.  

Anecdotally, RSO has helped patients manage conditions such as multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, cancer, insomnia, chronic pain, and asthma, among many others. 

As an incredibly potent THC product, RSO offers potential therapeutic effects, such as pain relief and appetite stimulation, and it can aid with sleep aid and nausea. But because studies haven’t been done, we can’t guarantee that RSO will impart these benefits. 

A 2021 study indicated that while many cancer patients use cannabis in conjunction with cancer treatments, their primary care teams lacked insight on how to integrate cannabis into a regimen. Clearly, much more research needs to be done on how best to use RSO to amplify treatment.          

Rick Simpson Oil for cancer treatment

Rick Simpson was motivated to create RSO by his own cancer diagnosis. His recipe is based on creating a product that produced the same results as a 1975 study, which showed cannabis killing cancer cells in mice. 

Simpson has said he cured his skin cancer by using RSO topically, but that it can be taken orally to address internal cancers as well. This claim has not been independently verified, but in the years since RSO was invented, thousands of patients have used it to address symptoms and improve their quality of life. 

Cancer patients seeking to use RSO should always first consult their primary care doctor to discuss their options.   

RSO for back pain

One of the most common uses for RSO, and cannabis in general, is chronic pain. Back pain is one of the most common forms of physical pain, with as much as 80% of people experiencing it at some point in life. 

RSO recipes typically call for high-THC and indica-dominant cannabis (although CBD-rich options do exist), and the final product is highly intoxicating, hence the gradual dosage increase to prevent too strong of a high. THC binds with CB1 receptors in the endocannabinoid system, most of which are concentrated in the brain and nerve cells. When THC binds to these nerve receptors, the sensation of pain lessens.

Is RSO dangerous?

Despite its high concentration of THC, no amount of RSO will cause an overdose, death, or lasting side effects. Risks associated with taking RSO are the same as taking a high dose of any cannabis product, such as an edible, concentrate, or more of any product than one is comfortable with—namely, getting too high, and having to wait for the effects to wear off. 

RSO purchased from a dispensary has been lab-tested for solvents, pesticides, mold, and fungi, so you can rest easy that you’re getting a clean product. 

If you choose to make RSO at home, there are somewhat dangerous steps in its preparations, such as burning off an ethanol solvent, which is flammable. Some other solvents used can be explosive or produce fumes. It’s also possible that not all the alcohol will be separated from the oil before ingestion. 

If you are ever unsure about the quality of your homemade RSO, source it from a licensed dispensary.

Where can I get Rick Simpson Oil?

Since Rick Simpson Oil contains THC, you can only find it at licensed dispensaries in states with adult-use cannabis or medical marijuana. However, not all dispensaries carry RSO, as it is not as popular, nor affordable, as other forms of cannabis.   

How much does RSO cost?

Relative to a pack of gummies or an eighth of flower, RSO is expensive. Prices vary state to state and county to county based on local tax laws, but the general range for RSO is $35–70 a gram. This may seem comparable to other cannabis concentrates, but patients need 60 grams to follow the recommended RSO regimen—that’s at least $2,100!  

How to use RSO

The two most common ways to consume RSO are orally and topically. Rick Simpson himself used it as a topical to cure his skin cancer, although it’s been said his physician did not condone and cannot confirm this as a cure. 

How long does RSO take to work?

RSO requires weeks to acclimate to without intoxication. Results may be felt within a few days, but most report significant differences in symptoms once they have reached the one-gram-per-day threshold, which may take up to five weeks, depending on the individual.  

For skin ailments

If using topically, apply a dab of RSO to the skin site and cover with a band aid or bandage to ensure absorption. Reapply every other day.

For internal conditions

The other popular way to address internal conditions, such as physical pains, immunity conditions, and other illnesses, is to ingest RSO. This requires a large amount of RSO as well as a dosing system that requires weeks to acclimate to the high doses needed for treatment (more below). We recommend speaking to a doctor or medical professional familiar with RSO to discuss what works best for you. 

Our guide here is based on consuming 60 grams of RSO in 90 days, broken up into weeks, as Rick Simpson recommends on his website. Keep in mind that this hasn’t been reviewed by medical professionals.  

Side effects of RSO

Following a gradually increasing regimen of RSO is your best bet for avoiding potential side effects, such as sedation or dizziness. RSO is an incredibly potent product, and some consumers may feel uncomfortable if the dose is too high. 

It’s possible to negate the intoxicating effects of THC by adding CBD-rich flower to the recommended dosing guide below. Many patients attest that the effects of RSO are largely positive, mitigating pain, nausea, and sleeplessness, among other symptoms.   

Can you smoke or dab RSO?

Since RSO is an oil that retains some degree of plant matter, yes it can be smoked! But squirting a dollop directly in your bong or pipe will only lead to a sticky, sappy mess. 

The best way to smoke RSO is to combine it with flower, such as adding a rice grain amount to a packed bowl. It also works well in joints and blunts when added to the paper or wrap in horizontal lines. This distribution will help slow the burning of a joint or blunt and allow the RSO to heat without destroying the cannabinoids. 

And technically, yes, you can dab RSO. But we recommend only dabbing an RSO purchased from a dispensary with lab test results to ensure no solvents or other potential irritants are present. Note that when RSO is made, the cannabis is decarboxylated when the solvent is burned off, so it may not be as potent as other concentrates, depending on the temperature of your dabs.   

Can you cook with RSO?

Yes, you can cook with RSO. Keep in mind that cooking cannabis above 300ºF will burn off the cannabinoids and render the RSO useless. For maximum efficacy, it’s best to add RSO to meals that have already been cooked, or to parts of a meal that don’t need to be cooked, such as a sauce, dressing, or beverage.

RSO dosage chart

RSO regimen

While Simpson recommends taking the oil orally, patients can also administer it in suppository form, using the same dosing guide.

Weeks 1-3: Three small doses every day

Start with a small dose of RSO every eight hours (morning, midday, and night). Each dose should be about the size of half a grain of rice; the first dose will be about ¼ drop of RSO from an oil syringe.

Weeks 4-5: Double your dose every four days

Per Simpson’s recommendation, it takes most patients four to five weeks to reach the full dosage of one gram of RSO per day, starting from half a grain of rice. Patients should still take their doses every eight hours.

Weeks 6-12: A gram a day

Take one gram of RSO a day until you’ve consumed a full 60 grams. This comes out to taking about 8-9 rice-sized drops of RSO every eight hours.

Continued regimen

Once a patient has gotten used to taking a gram of RSO a day and consumed the recommended 60 grams, they don’t need to continue with such high (and expensive) doses. Simpson’s website recommends one to two grams a month to maintain an influx of cannabinoids.

RSO recipe

This recipe follows Simpson’s own formulation to produce 60 grams of oil. This should be done in an open, well-ventilated area, as the solvent is highly combustible. Avoid all open flames such as stovetops, sparks, lighters, and cigarettes.

Ingredients

• 1 pound (~450 grams) of dried cannabis (preferably indica strains)
• 8-9 liters of a solvent (Simpson recommends 99% isopropyl alcohol)

Equipment

• Two five-gallon buckets 
• Electric rice cooker (do not use a slow cooker or Crockpot)
• Large wooden spoon or stirring utensil 
• Funnel
• Plastic syringes
• Coffee filters or a cheesecloth
• Large fan (for ventilation)
• Stainless steel measuring cup (optional)
• Coffee warmer (optional)

Directions

Step 1

Place all dry cannabis material into one of the 5-gallon buckets. Pour in the solvent until the plant matter is completely submerged.

Stir and muddle the plant material with your wooden spoon while slowly adding the solvent.

Step 2

Once fully incorporated, stir the mixture for about three minutes to allow the THC to dissolve into the solvent. This ideally will infuse about 80% of the THC into the solvent.

Step 3

Strain the plant material from the solvent into the second bucket through the coffee filters or cheesecloth. 

Step 4

With the solvent aside, put the plant material back in the first bucket and add more solvent. Continue stirring for another three minutes.

Step 5

Drain the solvent from the plant material into your second bucket again using the cheesecloth and discard the remaining plant material.

Step 6

Pour the solvent, which should now look dark, into the rice cooker until it is about ¾ full. Turn on your rice cooker.

The rice cooker should maintain a steady temperature between 210-230°F (100-110°C), in order to decarboxylate the cannabis and cook off the solvent. 

Step 7

The solvent will slowly evaporate with the heat of the rice cooker. Add your mixture to the rice cooker gradually.

Step 8

Once the solvent has evaporated, use the funnels to pack the oil into your syringe for easy dosing. The RSO will be thick like honey, so if you have trouble dispensing it, run the syringe under hot water to ease it.

Have you ever used RSO? How has it impacted your life? Let us know in the comments!

This article was originally published May 12, 2017 and is often updated for accuracy and clarity.

Amelia Williams

New York-based freelance cannabis journalist Amelia Williams is a graduate of San Francisco State University’s journalism program, and a former budtender. Williams has contributed to the San Francisco Chronicle’s GreenState, MG Magazine, Culture Magazine, and Cannabis Now, Kirkus Reviews, and The Bold Italic.

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This week Leafly’s fearless Canadian editor Ashley Keenan joins us to discuss the newest innovation in child-repellent gummy shapes. Yes. They are what you think they are.

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The best cannabis in the world’s biggest, most influential legal market, Los Angeles, gets its flowers Sat. June 11 at the Zalympix Championships Awards Show.

Top LA dispensary Greenwolf throws an awards party in downtown tomorrow night—awarding top honors to LA’s best-looking, best-smelling, best-tasting, gassiest, most potent, and best overall designer cannabis. The competition proved ferocious.

Greenwolf’s shop on Los Feliz Blvd in LA has nurtured the exotic flower scene since the medical marijuana days. After two prior contests, they blew the Horn of Gondor, calling in all the best brands for a battle royale. The flower that came in the $600 Judges Kit represents the best snapshot of what’s fire in weed in ’22. It’s easily the best box of pot we’ve ever had to smoke, and our waistlines and tolerances paid a hefty price to arrive at our winners’ list.

We have our idea of who might take home trophies tomorrow night, but looking at the entire box can help anyone understand the zaza landscape this year.

Who will be King Kong of cookie mountain?

The center of gravity of modern pot converges at relaxing, high-THC, and indica-dominant hybrids, specifically current crosses from the GSC line (Gelato, Sunset Sherbert, ‘cookies’ genetics). Ten cultivars in the box battled it out to be King Kong of cookie mountain:

Greenwolf co-owner Adam Bergman told Leafly during the first Zalympix, “the connoisseurs, they really want that zaza, they want the new-new, and most of the new-new seems to be something that comes from Gelato or Zkittlez or Sherbert.”

The most pretty, novel, and strong to us? Cereal A La Mode #50 from Fiore with Serge Cannabis and Powerzzup. It’s like an amped up Cereal Milk—crazy pretty with trichomes and a thick Cereal Milk taste of creamy sugary carbs that translates to the smoke. The high just punches through whatever tolerance you’ve built up. Prepare to be keyed.

Cereal A La Mode combines Cereal Milk with Georgia Pie. Cereal Milk itself mixes Y Life (Cookies x Cherry Pie) to Snowman. Georgia Pie is Seed Junky Genetics’ Gelatti x Kush Mints. Remixing these genes continues to make the weed that defines exotic.

I could see the Sherblato winning here, just for its perfect execution of a Sherbert to a Gelato. But these terps have become familiar, while Cereal A La Mode went to a whole other level with it.

Z terps keep glowing

Beyond the intense Cookies fight, we are even more hyped for the second focal point of the Zalympix ’22—what’s going on with Zkittlez genes in 2022. There, you had Deep East + Wizard Trees’ Zoap going up against Zushi + The Ten Co’s Blue Zushi, and Cali Kush Farms’ Karma’s Zowahh. I want permanent ounces of all three.

It might be time for Zoap to get its trophy—this batch looked, smelled, tasted and felt like the perfect smoke. The Oakland team has created its own lane by hunting and crossing OZ Kush (Zkittlez x OG Eddy Lepp) and has something really original—rich, syrupy tropical, creamy fruit for days. Blue Zushi jumped out of the bag even harder, but looked a little less perfect in this batch. The smoke and taste stayed true to the Blue Zushi that won the last Zalympix—just amazing blue raspberry Z terps that get you super lit.

And I have a special place in my heart for Karma Genetics’ Zowahh—a Zkittlez to Karma Genetics’ Sour D Bx. It’s the only Sour D cross in the box, and to see Zkittlez turn the volume and the syrup up on the Diesel—just superb.

What’s the Zalympix again?

The Zalympix is a play on the weed word ‘zaza’ (slang for exotic), mixed up with Olympics. It’s a championship contest for exotic pot in the roaring arena of global cannabis culture—LA. Regular people chose the winner by buying a box for $600 and getting a code to pick the top flower in six categories, including best overall.

Winners from two prior Zalympix ended up in the Championships, which was why the box was so hard to judge. The boxes went out May 16th, and the awards event is June 11. Judges got two tickets to the event and 2 grams of flower each from each competing brand, plus some goodies. The boxes sold out.

The awards event is at Wisdome in LA, co-hosted by Secret Sesh, with dozens of top-shelf brands exhibiting and over 4,000 guests. Compound Genetics launches its Red Bullz flower there tomorrow. The Zalympix also comes to Michigan with partner Exotic Matter. The first batch of boxes went on sale Friday and sold out.

We’ll update this post with winners and notes.

David Downs

David Downs directs news and lifestyle coverage as the California Bureau Chief for Leafly.com. He’s written for WIRED, Rolling Stone and Billboard, and is the former cannabis editor of the San Francisco Chronicle, as well as the author of several cannabis books including ‘Marijuana Harvest’ by Ed Rosenthal and David Downs. He co-hosts The Hash podcast. TW: @davidrdowns | IG @daviddowns

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