Phoenix Tears is a highly concentrated cannabis oil, also known as Rick Simpson Oil (RSO), that typically contains over 90% total cannabinoids. It’s a thick, dark extract named after Rick Simpson, a Canadian who popularized the product in the early 2000s after claiming it cured his skin cancer. The oil has become one of the most potent cannabis preparations available, attracting attention primarily from people seeking alternative treatments for serious illnesses.
How Phoenix Tears Are Made
The extraction process is relatively straightforward compared to other cannabis concentrates. Cannabis plant material is soaked in ethanol (a food-grade alcohol), which strips the cannabinoids, terpenes, and other active compounds from the plant. The plant matter is then strained out, and the remaining ethanol is slowly evaporated using low heat. What’s left behind is a thick, sticky, dark-colored oil.
Because ethanol pulls out nearly everything from the plant, not just THC, the resulting oil contains a broad spectrum of compounds. This is one reason Phoenix Tears looks and behaves differently from distillates or isolates, which are refined to contain only specific cannabinoids. The dark color comes from chlorophyll, waxes, and other plant materials that remain in the final product.
Some people attempt to make Phoenix Tears at home using similar solvent-based methods. This carries real risks, since working with flammable solvents in unventilated spaces can cause fires or explosions, and improper evaporation can leave residual solvents in the oil.
What’s Actually in It
Phoenix Tears is one of the most concentrated cannabis products available. The total cannabinoid content regularly exceeds 90%, with THC making up the vast majority in most preparations. To put that in perspective, typical dried cannabis flower contains 15 to 30% THC, and standard edibles contain far less per serving. A rice-grain-sized dose of Phoenix Tears can deliver a significant amount of THC.
Because the ethanol extraction captures the full chemical profile of the plant, the oil also contains smaller amounts of CBD, minor cannabinoids like CBN and CBG, and terpenes. The exact ratio depends on the cannabis strain used. Some producers now make CBD-dominant versions for people who want the broad-spectrum extract without the intense psychoactive effects.
The 90-Day Dosing Protocol
The most widely referenced dosing schedule calls for consuming 60 grams of RSO over a 90-day window. You start with a very small amount, often compared to half a grain of rice, and gradually increase the dose over several weeks until reaching roughly 1 gram per day. The idea behind the slow ramp-up is to let your body build tolerance to THC’s psychoactive effects before reaching the higher doses.
Even with gradual increases, many people find the side effects challenging. At these concentrations, common effects include intense drowsiness, impaired memory and attention, dry or red eyes, increased heart rate, and difficulty performing everyday tasks. Some people feel nauseous or experience unpleasant psychological effects like anxiety or paranoia, especially early in the process before tolerance develops.
An interesting wrinkle: research from Johns Hopkins Medicine found that when THC is consumed alongside high doses of CBD in an edible format, the adverse effects actually get worse, not better. Participants who consumed a high-CBD cannabis extract experienced nearly double the increase in heart rate (25 beats per minute above baseline versus 10), greater memory and attention impairment, and higher ratings of feeling sick compared to those who consumed THC alone. This matters because some Phoenix Tears products contain both cannabinoids, and many users assume CBD will soften the THC experience.
How People Use It
Phoenix Tears is most commonly taken orally, either swallowed directly, placed under the tongue, or mixed into food. Because it’s already been decarboxylated during the extraction process (meaning heat has activated the cannabinoids), it doesn’t need to be smoked or vaporized to take effect. Some people also apply it topically to skin lesions or other areas, though the evidence for this use is limited.
When taken orally, the onset is similar to other edibles: typically 30 minutes to 2 hours before effects are felt, with the experience lasting several hours. The delayed onset is a common source of accidental overconsumption, especially for people unfamiliar with high-potency edibles.
The Cancer Claims
Rick Simpson’s original claim, that this oil cured his basal cell carcinoma, is the reason Phoenix Tears became widely known. Since then, a community of advocates has promoted RSO as a treatment or cure for various cancers and other serious diseases. These claims remain supported only by personal stories, not clinical evidence.
A review published through the American Society of Clinical Oncology stated plainly that the belief that topical RSO products can cure cancers “is only supported by anecdotal stories.” No peer-reviewed clinical trials have demonstrated that Phoenix Tears can treat or cure cancer in humans. Some preclinical research (lab studies on cells and animal models) has shown that certain cannabinoids can affect cancer cell growth, but this is a long way from proving that swallowing or applying cannabis oil treats cancer in a living person.
This distinction matters because some people use Phoenix Tears as a replacement for conventional cancer treatment, which can have serious consequences. Others use it alongside standard therapies to manage symptoms like pain, nausea, or poor appetite, which is a different and more widely accepted use of cannabis products in cancer care.
Legal Status
Phoenix Tears exists in a complicated legal space. In the United States, marijuana remains federally classified as a Schedule I controlled substance as of mid-2025, though the Justice Department announced in 2025 that it is placing FDA-approved marijuana products and those covered by qualifying state medical licenses into Schedule III. A broader administrative hearing on rescheduling marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III is set to begin on June 29, 2026.
In practice, Phoenix Tears is available through licensed dispensaries in states with legal medical or recreational cannabis programs. In Canada, where Rick Simpson originally popularized the product, cannabis concentrates are legal for adult purchase through licensed retailers. The potency and lack of standardization across products mean that what you get can vary significantly from one producer to another, so lab-tested products from licensed sources are more reliable than homemade versions.