2C family

Other names

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How it’s taken

Most commonly swallowed as a pill/capsule or mixed into a drink. They may be snorted but people taking 2Cs say this can be much more painful than snorting other drugs.

Be aware that when snorting, a smaller dose is required to achieve the intended effect than when swallowing. Many 2C drugs should only be taken orally, snorting should be avoided due to increased risk of side effects. 

Dose

The following information about ‘light’ oral dose was taken from PsychonautWiki, but this cannot be taken as a recommendation: duration and effects of any drug will depend on purity, regularity of use, other medications or drugs you have taken, your body and how it is taken (route of administration). 

• 2C-B – oral dose 10-15 milligrams (mg) – duration around 5-8 hours 
• 2C-C – oral dose 15-30 milligrams (mg) – duration around 4-8 hours  
• 2C-D – oral dose 10-25 milligrams (mg) – duration around 3-5 hours 

• 2C-E – oral dose 5-10 milligrams (mg) – duration around 6-10 hours 
• 2C-I – oral dose 5-10 milligrams (mg) – duration around 6-10 hours 
• 2C-P – oral dose 2-6 milligrams (mg) – duration around 10-20 hours 
• 2C-T-2 – oral dose 5-10 milligrams (mg) – duration around 6-10 hours 
• 2C-T-7 – oral dose 10-15 milligrams (mg) – duration around 6-10 hours 

Accessed March 2020  

Other information about dosage can be found on – erowid.org – many of these vary from the doses listed above. Care should be taken to research any drug before taking it.  

Do your research and know yourself! 

It is essential to use accurate scales – ones that are capable of measuring to 1 milligram (0.001 of a gram). Knowledge of how to use them and how to ensure they are measuring accurately is important.  

A slight difference in dose can create a different experience or side effects. Find out more about reducing the risk from dosing including volumetric dosing. Crew info page coming soon. 

Effects

The dose and the time taken to feel effects may differ for each drug in the 2C family but many of their effects are similar. The effects of 2C drugs (and other psychedelics) can also be known as a ‘trip’.

They can cause a change in perceptions. Music may sound clearer and colours can appear more vivid – there may be a slight rainbow effect and some people will see fractals (patterns). Sensations such as touch, temperature and reaction to light may feel enhanced. 

People can experience euphoria, giggling, stimulation, decreased appetite, restlessness, an altered perception of time, sweating, chills, muscle tension, confusion and insomnia. Other effects of some 2C drugs may include shaking, dizziness, nausea or ‘stomach churning’ and vomiting. Some people may also feel that their sense of gravity has increased. This can sometimes be referred to as a ‘heavy body load’. 

People report feeling more connected to nature and the people around them. Emotions and responses to others may be heightened. Some may experience deep thoughts and come to new insights or feel a sense of spiritual connection. 

Some people, including those more prone to anxiety, may experience thought-loops or find it difficult to shift their focus from negative thoughts. 

2C drugs increase your heartrate and breathing. This can also be influenced by your state of mind – if you feel uncomfortable, your body may produce an anxiety response and speed up your heartrate and breathing further. 

Harm reduction

• Spend at least two hours researching the drug you are planning to take. 
• Test the drug. If you don’t have access to a drug testing service, reagent testing kits are available online and can give a greater understanding of what the drug contains, but they may not be suitable for identifying newer compounds or adulterants. 
• Avoid taking drugs alone and have a ‘sober’ friend around if possible. 
• Plan your ‘trip’ in advance – think about where you will take them (somewhere you feel safe – be aware of dangers, such as water and sharp or hot objects), who you will take them with (people you feel comfortable being around) and how you are feeling beforehand (your mindset can have an influence on your experience.) This is called set and setting. 
• Grind or crush substances down as fine as possible before use. This makes it easier to judge a dose. 
• Plan your doses and use a watch or timer to keep track of how frequently you are dosing. 
• There is no standard amount of any 2C in a pill or powder. Purity can vary, even within the same batch. 
• Some pills will take longer to break down and therefore longer for you to feel the effects. When taking pills wait at least two hours before redosing. 
• Use scales to measure the dose – you can’t judge an accurate dose just by looking. Start with a small dose and go slow! Remember, that the more of a drug you take, the riskier it is and the more likely you are to experience negative effects. 
• If mixed into a drink, care should be taken to accurately dose and the bottle/cup marked to ensure no one else accidentally drinks. Never leave your drink unattended and avoid drinking from bottles/cups if you are unsure of what’s in it.
• Avoid mixing different drugs including alcohol and medicines as this can cause dangerous, unintended or unpredictable effects. Take time to research possible interactions with your medication or health condition.
• If you do mix drugs, do your research, ensure you are somewhere safe and take way less of both substances than you would if you were only taking one.
  
• If you are taking 2Cs and can’t avoid alcohol completely, try to limit yourself to only a few drinks, choose drinks with a lower alcohol content and drink water or soft drinks between alcoholic ones.
• Mixing with other drugs that produce a psychedelic effect, including ketamine and cannabis can heighten the psychedelic experience in a way that may feel overwhelming and be difficult to manage.  
• Avoid taking 2C drugs if you are experiencing anxiety or if you don’t feel completely comfortable, as you may heighten these feelings. Reduce feelings of anxiety by staying calm, controlling your breathing and telling someone how you are feeling!
• Altered perceptions mean you may not spot dangers, so be careful. Look out for any potential hazards (e.g. glass tables, heights or things you may fall over). 
• Tripping on a full stomach can cause nausea. Some food about 1-2 hours beforehand is recommended. Splitting a dose of 2Cs in half and taking these halves 15 mins apart may reduce the likelihood of nausea.
• If you experience vomiting this could reduce the effectiveness of the contraceptive pill – use alternative methods to avoid unintended pregnancy. 
• Think about safe sex and consent.
• People should sleep on their side to avoid choking on vomit in their sleep. 
• Some 2Cs can cause vasoconstriction (narrowing of the blood vessels) which increases the risk of high blood pressure, headaches, cramps and strokes – avoid mixing with drugs that also cause vasoconstriction such as cocaine and caffeine. 
• If you start to feel any negative effects, simple things like changing your environment may help. If the effects are too strong, try to stay relaxed and take small sips of water or flat sugary juice. Let someone know how you are feeling – sometimes just sharing that feeling can help ease it. 
• Look after your pals and seek medical help as soon as possible if needed. Be honest about what has been taken. 
• Make sure you have time to rest afterwards and chill out. 
• Psychedelics can cause a profound shift in our perception of the world. Try to leave at least 3 months between taking them to allow yourself to fully process and recover from your experience. 
• Think of people you can chat to about your experience afterwards, particularly if it was difficult. You can always visit Crew or call us for a chat! 

Detection time

• 3 – 5 days in urine.