Another increasingly popular form of cannabis concentrates are cannabis oils, often called
Rick Simpson Oil or
RSO.
14 Cannabis oils are crude concentrates often made at home by users. Simple extraction methods, such as grain alcohol extraction or cooking herbal cannabis in fatty substances (eg, naphtha, butane, coconut oil, olive oil), are used.
14 Cannabis oil has seen a surge in popularity second to their purported anticancer properties; however, while THC has shown some antitumor properties, cannabis oil has not been shown to be an effective anticancer agent.
15 Because these oils are often homemade, estimates of dosing are difficult. Cannabis oils are often taken orally as a liquid, sometimes incorporated into food items, and rarely smoked after adding to herbal cannabis. Additionally, cannabis oils are used topically. Very few studies have been done regarding the use of topical cannabis products. The limited available data suggest that topical cannabinoids can be absorbed with systemic effect when in specific carriers.
16 Most topical cannabis available commercially is in the form of lotions, creams, and oils that do not absorb well systemically. These topical preparations may help with inflammation and pain at a local level,
16 but systemic absorption by this route is likely negligible, and users will not feel intoxicated.