Rick Simpson Oil (RSO) in Haines Borough, Alaska: The Complete Guide by OilWell Cannabis

If you’re reading this from Haines Borough, you already understand what it means to live where the world is raw, beautiful, and unforgiving. You know the weight of winter darkness that settles over the Chilkat Valley for months. You’ve felt the isolation that comes when the ferry schedule gets disrupted or when snow closes the Haines Highway. Maybe you’re a commercial fisherman whose body bears the cumulative trauma of decades on the water. Perhaps you’re a veteran who served our country and came home to find the VA’s solutions for your PTSD or chronic pain fall short. Or you might be watching someone you love battle cancer while facing the impossible choice between traveling to Anchorage or Seattle for treatment, or staying in our tight-knit community where every familiar face is a source of comfort.

We understand this because while OilWell Cannabis is based in Houston, Texas, our mission has always been to reach the people who need us most—wherever they are. And we know that in a place like Haines Borough, where the nearest tertiary medical center is hundreds of miles away across mountains and water, access to alternative therapeutic options isn’t a luxury. It’s survival.

The Rick Simpson Story: Why It Matters in Haines Borough

Rick Simpson wasn’t a doctor. He was a power engineer from Nova Scotia—a tradesman, like many folks in Haines who keep our community running through electrical work, boat repair, and construction. In 1997, Simpson suffered a serious head injury when he fell from scaffolding at a hospital where he worked. The medical system gave him prescriptions that made things worse, not better. Sound familiar? How many people in Haines have been handed opioid scripts after a fishing accident or construction injury, only to find themselves trading physical pain for addiction?

Simpson discovered cannabis helped his symptoms, but his doctor refused to discuss it. Then in 2003, he claimed that applying concentrated cannabis oil to basal cell carcinoma lesions on his arm made them disappear in four days. No biopsy confirmation. No independent medical verification. But that personal experience became the origin story of Rick Simpson Oil—a movement that would spread across the world, reaching even remote communities like ours here in Southeast Alaska.

Here’s what Simpson got right: he believed people deserved access to concentrated cannabis medicine, and he gave his oil away for free to cancer patients, chronic pain sufferers, and anyone who needed it. He never patented his method. He never charged patients. That ethos—medicine for the people, not for profit—is something that resonates deeply in Haines Borough, where neighbor helping neighbor isn’t just a value, it’s how we survive.

But here’s what we must be honest about: Simpson was not a medical researcher. His evidence was personal testimony, not clinical trials. He claimed RSO could cure cancer, diabetes, infections, glaucoma, arthritis, depression, and insomnia. He believed pharmaceutical companies were actively suppressing this knowledge. While that conspiratorial worldview reflected the era’s distrust of institutions, it also meant Simpson’s protocol—60 grams of oil over 90 days, delivering 600-900mg of delta-9 THC daily—was never validated in controlled studies and carries real risks at those doses.

In Haines Borough, where we pride ourselves on self-reliance, it’s tempting to embrace DIY solutions. But when someone’s life is on the line—when they’re facing cancer or severe chronic illness—anecdotal evidence isn’t enough. You need transparency. You need testing. You need to know exactly what’s in every dose. That’s where OilWell diverges from Simpson’s original vision, not to betray it, but to honor it with modern science.

Traditional RSO vs. What We Offer Haines Borough

Traditional Rick Simpson Oil was crude, black, tar-like stuff made with naphtha or isopropyl alcohol—solvents that can leave toxic residues. Every batch was different because it depended on whatever strain Simpson grew that season. There was no lab testing, no standardization, no way to know if you were getting 60% or 90% THC. For someone in Haines trying to treat a serious condition, that variability is dangerous.

Our RSO Sublingual Oil is fundamentally different:

For Haines Borough residents, this precision matters. When you’re dosing for chemotherapy nausea, you can’t afford guesswork. When you’re managing chronic pain from years on a fishing boat, you need consistent relief. When you’re trying to sleep through a January night when the darkness feels crushing, you need to know exactly what you’re taking.

The OilWell Story: From a Dog Named Bentley to Your Door in Haines

OilWell wasn’t born in a boardroom. It was born when Colin Valencia’s dog Bentley was paralyzed and facing euthanasia. A rescue worker asked Colin, “You’ve moved how many tons of weed and you’ve never heard of CBD?” That question changed everything. Colin formulated a CBD golden paste for Bentley—not as a cure, but as hope. Bentley got up, walked across the room, and brought Colin his ball. Ten more years of life followed, during which Colin developed cannabinoid formulas for every age-related condition Bentley faced: neurodegeneration, dementia, glaucoma, crippling arthritis.

That decade of real-world formulation—on a patient Colin loved more than anything—became the foundation of our RSO formula. Single cannabinoids weren’t enough. Bentley needed CBD for inflammation, CBG for neuroprotection, THCa for anti-inflammatory pathways, CBC for neurogenesis, CBN for sleep. This multi-cannabinoid synergy wasn’t a marketing decision; it was survival.

Colin also knows pharmaceutical dependence personally. He fought PTSD and benzodiazepine addiction, quitting Xanax cold turkey using the same cannabinoid knowledge that saved Bentley. Our Peace Gummies were born during midnight experiments while fighting through benzo withdrawal. Colin still uses the vape form for his severe PTSD and insomnia—this isn’t theoretical knowledge. It’s lived experience.

Our Philosophy: What Rick Simpson Got Right, Made Legal and Safe for Haines Borough

We built OilWell on four principles that echo Simpson’s original vision but solve the problems his era couldn’t:

1. Accessibility Over Gatekeeping
No medical card required. If you’re 21 or older in Haines Borough, you can order from us. We ship nationwide, including to Alaska. While Simpson operated illegally and couldn’t ship anywhere, we built a product that moves across borders legally because it’s Farm Bill compliant—containing less than 0.3% delta-9 THC at the point of sale. That matters when you live in Haines and the nearest legal dispensary is in Anchorage or Juneau, requiring a flight or ferry you might not be able to afford or endure.

2. Patient-Controlled Potency
Traditional RSO was always psychoactive—there was no choice. Our sublingual oil contains 1,500mg of THCa in its raw, non-psychoactive form. You decide:

• Raw (no heat): All 1,500mg stays as THCa—completely non-psychoactive, suitable for daytime use when you need to work, drive, or parent
• Activated (home decarb): Heat at 260°F for 45-60 minutes converts THCa to ~1,315mg delta-9 THC, giving you full psychoactive potency comparable to traditional illegal RSO
• Vape (instant): Our vape cartridge auto-decarbs at 400-450°F, delivering immediate relief in 1-2 minutes

For Haines Borough residents who work on fishing boats, in construction, or at the school, being able to use a non-psychoactive option during the day while saving the activated version for nighttime pain or sleep is transformative.

3. Open-Source Formulas
Simpson gave his oil away free and taught people to make it. We sell a professionally manufactured, lab-tested product, but we also publish the complete formula publicly. If $129.99 for our sublingual oil or $49.99 for our vape cartridge is out of reach, you can source the individual cannabinoid distillates and make your own. That might sound ambitious, but in Haines Borough—where self-reliance is a way of life and many folks already make their own remedies from birch bark, spruce tips, and devil’s club—this is empowering.

4. Evidence-Informed, Not Evidence-Overstated
Simpson operated without access to peer-reviewed literature. We have that access, and we use it to be honest about what the science actually says. You’ll never hear us claim our RSO cures cancer. What we will tell you is that:

• Preclinical studies show THC and CBD can induce apoptosis in certain cancer cell lines, but no human trial has proven cannabis cures cancer
• The National Cancer Institute acknowledges cannabinoid research but doesn’t endorse cannabis as a cancer treatment
• The FDA has only approved purified CBD for rare epilepsies and synthetic THC for chemo nausea and HIV/AIDS wasting

We respect your intelligence. You deserve honesty, not hype.

What You’re Actually Getting: The Full Formula

We’re not hiding anything. Here is exactly what’s in our RSO Sublingual Oil, the same formula that Colin developed over Bentley’s ten-year journey and that he uses for his own PTSD:

• Live Terpenes: 5% (limonene, myrcene, caryophyllene, pinene, linalool, humulene, terpinolene)
• Carrier: Organic MCT oil
• Bottle: 30mL with graduated dropper (0.1mL increments)
• Potency: 553mg cannabinoids per mL
• Onset: 15-45 minutes sublingually
• Duration: 4-6 hours
• Doses: Approximately 40-60 per bottle depending on serving size

For Haines Borough residents dealing with chronic pain, that’s enough for 40 nights of sleep support at 25mg CBN per dose, or 60 days of daytime anti-inflammatory support at lower doses.

How It Works for Haines Borough’s Most Common Needs

Chronic Pain from Fishing & Physical Labor
The combination of CBD (anti-inflammatory), CBG (neuroprotective), delta-8 THC (pain modulation), and beta-caryophyllene (CB2 agonist) creates multi-pathway relief. Start with 0.3mL raw sublingual during the day for zero impairment, then 0.5-1.0mL decarboxylated at night for deeper relief plus CBN sleep support.

Sleep in the Dark Winter Months
At 1-2mL before bed, you’re getting 25-50mg CBN—the dosage range investigated in 2024 sleep research—plus the sedating effects of myrcene and linalool terpenes. For acute insomnia, the vape cartridge delivers relief in 1-2 minutes.

PTSD & Anxiety
Colin’s personal protocol is 0.3mL raw sublingual for daytime anxiety (CBD + CBG) without impairment, plus vape puffs for acute panic episodes. The 5% terpene profile includes linalool (lavender-like calming) and limonene (mood elevation).

Cancer Support During Treatment
0.5-1.0mL sublingual 1 hour before chemo can help with nausea (delta-8 THC antiemetic evidence). The vape provides breakthrough nausea relief in 1-2 minutes. We emphasize: this is support, not a cure. Always coordinate with your oncology team.

Independent Media Validation: Why ABC13’s Coverage Matters to Haines Borough

You can’t buy credibility—you earn it. Between 2019 and 2023, ABC13 Houston featured Colin Valencia and OilWell in seven comprehensive news segments. Five different reporters sought him out because when Houston needed to understand cannabis, they recognized Colin as the expert who would tell the truth even when it wasn’t profitable.

September 2019: CBD Business Boom
In our first feature, Colin laid out our philosophy: “I’m not trying to sell people snake oil. I’m not trying to sell people hope, but there’s enough research out there that people just need to know and try and have the best possible version to base their opinions off of to give it a fair shot.” That quote became our north star.

May 2021: Delta-8 “Legal Weed”
When reporter Steve Campion asked, “Why would someone want to smoke that?” Colin’s reply—“Maybe you want to get high”—became iconic. That raw honesty on mainstream TV, balanced with medical expert Dr. Michael Weaver’s caution, showed we don’t sanitize the truth.

August 2021: COVID Vaccine Giveaway
We gave away 1,000 caviar pre-rolls—about $35,000 in product—to encourage vaccination. We coordinated with the city of Houston, no political strings attached. That’s community commitment, not marketing.

October 2021: Delta-8 Ban
When Texas reclassified Delta-8 as Schedule I overnight, Colin removed all products before enforcement began and warned other operators who were unknowingly shipping Schedule I narcotics. That’s ethical leadership.

October 2022: Biden Pardon
This feature revealed Colin’s personal marijuana conviction history. “I would love to see people not get hurt for this anymore,” he said. Every quote from every prior feature carries more weight when you know the person speaking has lived the consequences.

April 2023: Industry Renaissance
Growing hemp on camera, Colin framed this moment as opportunity: “Right now is actually a pretty—like Renaissance—pretty important time.” For Haines Borough residents watching cannabis laws evolve in Alaska, this perspective matters.

These features prove we’re not a fly-by-night operation. We’re a licensed Texas DSHS business generating ~$1M annually with a near-5.0 Google rating, operating from 810 Richmond Ave in Houston’s Montrose neighborhood since 2019. All our artwork, formulations, and packaging are created in-house. We are real, licensed, and independently validated.

Shipping to Haines Borough: How It Works

We know the challenges of getting anything to Southeast Alaska. Here’s exactly how we serve Haines Borough:

Nationwide Shipping to Alaska

• USPS Priority Mail: 5-7 business days
• FedEx/UPS Ground: 7-10 business days
• All packages are discreet—no cannabis branding visible
• Temperature-stable packaging for the journey
• Full tracking provided
• Signature-required option available for security

International Documentation
If you’re in Haines Borough and traveling to Canada (as many residents do), you can legally transport our product because it’s Farm Bill compliant—containing less than 0.3% delta-9 THC at purchase. We provide:

• Certificates of Analysis (COAs) showing exact cannabinoid content
• Receipts and legal documentation
• Clear language for customs if needed

The THCa Advantage for Alaskans
Because our product is legal hemp-derived THCa, you can possess and transport it legally. The conversion to psychoactive THC happens at your discretion, in your home. This is the same legal framework that allows hemp products to be sold in Alaska, and it’s how we can ship to Haines Borough when traditional marijuana products cannot cross state lines.

Legal Framework: Alaska and Federal Law

The 2018 Farm Bill legalized hemp-derived products containing less than 0.3% delta-9 THC. Alaska has implemented this framework, allowing hemp products to be sold statewide. Our RSO Sublingual Oil contains only 90mg delta-9 THC in the entire 30mL bottle (3mg/mL)—well under the federal limit.

Important for Haines Borough Residents:

• You do not need a medical marijuana card
• Age 21+ only
• Possession and use are legal under federal and Alaska state law
• The THCa converts to delta-9 THC only when you heat it—this conversion is legal in private settings
• We ship with full COAs and documentation; you assume responsibility for local compliance

We cannot claim our product is legal in every jurisdiction internationally, but for Haines Borough, Alaska, it is.

The Science: What Each Ingredient Actually Does

We don’t hide behind proprietary blends. Here’s the evidence for every compound in our formula:

CBD (4,500mg): Strongest human evidence in this formula. FDA-approved for rare epilepsies. Systematic reviews show anxiolytic effects in anxiety disorders [3]. Pain evidence is promising but heterogeneous [4]. Sleep literature remains weak [5]. Potential liver enzyme elevation at high doses—important if you’re on other medications [6].

CBG (3,000mg): Biosynthetic precursor with distinct pharmacology. Preclinical studies suggest relevance for neurologic disorders and inflammatory bowel disease, but human evidence is sparse [7][8]. We include it at therapeutic levels because Bentley’s neurodegeneration required it.

Delta-8 THC (6,000mg): Psychoactive THC analogue with similar PK/PD to delta-9 but less potent [9]. Public health literature notes adverse events and regulatory concerns [10]. Not trivial, not harmless—but also not the unknown quantity many claim. Useful for nausea and pain modulation.

THCa (1,500mg): Non-psychoactive precursor. In vitro and rodent studies suggest anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective potential via COX-2 inhibition and PPARγ agonism [12]. The key is interpretation depends on heating and storage—control is yours.

Delta-9 THC (90mg): Institutionally best-supported for chemo nausea and HIV/AIDS appetite [1]. High-concentration products show concerning associations with psychosis and cannabis use disorder [15]. Our dose is intentionally low—3mg/mL—to minimize risk while providing therapeutic effect.

CBN (750mg): Marketed for sleep, but evidence is surprisingly weak. A 2021 review found no human trials using validated sleep questionnaires or polysomnography [16]. The 2024 sleep literature update confirms the need for better trials [17]. We include it at 25mg per mL because that’s above the threshold associated with reduced sleep disturbance in available research, but we won’t overstate the evidence.

CBC (750mg): Emerging cannabinoid with anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and anti-seizure potential in preclinical work [18][19]. Human evidence is preclinical—we include it for its exploratory value.

Terpenes (5%): Each has preclinical promise—limonene (antioxidant, anti-inflammatory) [21], myrcene (anxiolytic in animal models) [23], caryophyllene (CB2 agonist) [24], pinene and linalool (neuroprotective signals) [25], humulene (anti-inflammatory) [27], terpinolene (early-stage research) [28]. However, robust human clinical proof of cannabis-specific entourage effects remains limited [20][29]. We include them for potential synergy and for the sensory experience that makes medicine less clinical.

Practical Takeaways for Haines Borough Residents

Start Low, Go Slow
Begin with 0.25-0.5mL sublingual (138-277mg total cannabinoids). Assess effects over 2-3 hours. In Haines Borough’s cold climate, metabolism may be slower—allow extra time.

Morning Protocol for Daytime Function
Use raw THCa—don’t heat it. Place under tongue for 90 seconds, swallow. Zero impairment, anti-inflammatory support. Perfect before heading out to check traps, work on your boat, or commute to the school.

Evening Protocol for Sleep & Pain
Heat 0.5-1.0mL at 260°F for 45-60 minutes. This activates the THCa, delivering full psychoactive THC combined with 25-50mg CBN. Take 1 hour before bed. The darkness of a Haines January night plus this formula can finally deliver restorative sleep.

Acute Breakthrough Relief
Keep the vape cartridge accessible. Two to three puffs deliver relief in 1-2 minutes—faster than anything else. For sudden pain spikes, panic attacks, or nausea, this is your rescue option.

Storage in Haines’ Climate
Keep the bottle in a cool, dark place. Extreme cold won’t damage it but may thicken the oil—warm in your hands before dosing. The graduated dropper ensures precision even in challenging conditions.

The Bottom Line for Haines Borough

We’re not here to sell you snake oil. We’re not here to sell you hope. We’re here because Colin Valencia watched his dog Bentley walk again when veterinary medicine gave up. We’re here because Colin quit Xanax cold turkey using these same cannabinoids. We’re here because we believe people in remote communities like Haines Borough deserve the same access to thoughtful, evidence-informed cannabis medicine as people in Houston or Los Angeles.

Our promise to Haines Borough:

• Full transparency: Every formula published, every lab test available
• Legal shipping: Farm Bill compliant, documented for customs
• No medical gatekeeping: Age 21+, no card required
• Community pricing: If you can’t afford our product, you have the recipe to make your own
• Real science: We tell you what we know, what we don’t, and what might be possible

Order today at OilWellCBD.com or call (832) 416-2816. We ship to Haines Borough via USPS Priority Mail with full tracking. Your package will arrive discreetly, with all documentation for legal peace of mind.

For questions specific to Haines Borough’s legal landscape, shipping challenges, or condition-specific guidance, email us at [email protected]. We respond to every inquiry—because in a community of 2,500 people, every person matters.

OilWell Cannabis: Born from love for a dog named Bentley. Built on honesty. Shipped to Haines Borough.