Spoiler: This review may not have much value for recreational consumers looking for fun new ways to play with cannabis. I’m sorry to say this is not a freewheeling story of a cool girl’s experience eating cannabis pills and having the time of her everloving life. It is, however, a deeply personal account of the impact cannabis capsules have had on not just my life, but my mother’s. We hear it all the time—”cannabis is medicine”—but in this case, it truly was.

In 2016, I lost my mother to a very rare form of leukemia. Her treatments were high-risk, painful procedures that included chemo, radiation, and a stem cell transplant. She came to live with me and my family so that I could care for her, and it was during this excruciatingly long year that I recognized up close the intricacies of how cannabis acts as medicine for the fatally ill.

“We hear it all the time—cannabis is medicine—but in this case, it truly was.”

When my mother was at her sickest, her pillboxes were full of painkillers, sleep aids, anti-nausea tablets, and far more complicated medications that I don't think either of us ever fully understood. Despite having all of these options in her arsenal, the one medication she pined for more than anything else were the baby blue gel caps we picked up at our local dispensary. She couldn’t precisely explain why these THC pills contented her so much more than the Oxycontin or the Compazine (which was no matter because I never asked). We just accepted the fact that this was her preferred medication; this was what helped her get through those long days and even longer nights. At a certain point, I stopped asking which drug she wanted me to fetch her. I only asked if she needed a blue pill.

If you’ve ever helplessly watched someone you love die a slow and painful death, you’ll understand—likely better than anyone—the value of these capsules. After her death, I found her private stash of baby blue pills while going through her bedroom. I kept the bubble pack of pills, thinking one day I too might need to call upon the comprehensive medicinal powers of these THC-laden tablets. After spending two days trying OCO’s THC capsules, I’m even more grateful to have the ones my mother left behind.

I still don’t know much about my mom’s baby blue capsules. For instance, I have no idea how they were made or what type of cannabis they contain. But I do know that the OCO capsules I tried contained a sativa-dominant blend of cannabis and boasted 5.3mg of THC and 0.3mg of CBD per capsule. OCO’s capsules rely on a powdered CO2 extract with 3-10mg of cannabinoids per capsule, which allow the effects to kick in approximately 20 minutes after ingestion.

Soon after consuming one capsule, I had a strong feeling of disconnectedness between my head and my body. I felt like a helium balloon with tether that was slowly unraveling. While walking around my neighborhood, it felt like my head was somehow remaining three steps behind my body, precariously balanced on my neck like a bowl filled to the brim with soup. Soon my desire to sleep overtook every other necessity, and my mouth felt as if it was locked in a perpetual yawn. I resigned myself to an afternoon of dreamless napping, which honestly left me soured. In my mind, mid-afternoon napping is for children, the elderly, and the infirm.

“I spent the whole afternoon dozing off like a millennial Rip Van Winkle.”

During my second afternoon testing these THC capsules, I thought ripping a few hits of a powerful sativa would help me find some balance. However, the result turned out to be quite the opposite of what I was hoping for. I spent the whole afternoon dozing off like a millennial Rip Van Winkle. If I had taken two capsules, I bet I would have slept for a good 12 hours. I don’t typically use cannabis to conk out, but that’s all these capsules make me want to do—and therein lies this product’s value.

Since testing out OCO’s THC capsules, I’ve gained a whole new understanding of why a product like this appealed to my mom so much. Some products are not meant to produce a joyful, euphoric high but rather act as an effective, naturopathic tool to get you the fuck to sleep. For those in the throes of illness, this is precious beyond measure. I would wholeheartedly recommend OCO’s THC capsules to anyone suffering from chronic insomnia or anxiety about a long flight. I’d also recommend this product to anyone who might be plainly slipping from this mortal coil and simply wants to rest without incurring the risks associated with more powerful drugs.