2C-B

History and the law regarding 2C-B.§

History

2C-B was first synthesized by chemist Alexander Shulgin in 1974. He was a scientist who made a range of psychoactive substances in his on laboratory, and he tested these compounds on himself and his friends. In his book ‘PiHKAL’ (Phenetylamines I Have Known And Loved), he reports on several synthetic substances. In the early seventies, Shulgin was looking for variants of strong hallucinogens like the ones he made before, such as DOB and DOM.

2C-B is less powerful than DOB and works for a shorter period of time. There are similarities in their chemical structure, though. 2C-B was first legally sold as an aphrodisiac (substances which increase sexual desire and performance) through the company Drittewelle under the brand names ‘Nexus’ and ‘Erox’. Later, 2C-B was shortly available for sale in Dutch smart shops. This ended when the substance was put on Schedule I (the list of hard drugs) of the Opium Act in the Netherlands. Nowadays, there is a limited illegal market for 2C-B and compared to MDMA the substance is used by a small group of people.

The law

2C-B is listed in Schedule I (the list of hard drugs) of the Opium Act in the Netherlands. The production, distribution and possession of hard drugs is illegal. The government is strict in fighting the 2C-B trade. Illegal sale of 2C-B is met with heavy sentences. The use itself is not illegal. Read more about this on the law page.

Methods of use§

2C-B is mainly sold in pill form in the Netherlands. Usually it is sold explicitly as 2C-B, however, sometimes it is sold as XTC. 2C-B pills tend to be smaller and thinner than an average XTC pill, but that is not always the case. 2C-B also occurs as a powder, but snorting of 2C-B is rare. Snorting of 2C-B is painful.

Dosing 2C-B§

2C-B is a psychedelic when taken in higher doses. In lower doses, the effect is more comparable to that of XTC/MDMA (euphoric, stimulating). With a dose of 15 mg or higher, visual effects are be particularly strong; colors get more intense, impressive patterns appear on surfaces and deformations of objects or faces can happen. The perception by other senses is also enhanced. The more 2C-B one takes, the higher the risk for feelings of anxiety and insecurity. For beginner users, starting with a lower dose is commanded because of the unpredictable effects of the substance and the difference in sensitivity to the substance. The effects of 2C-B can last between 4 to 6 hours.

It is recommended to not snort 2C-B. When 2C-B is snorted, it enters the blood through the nasal mucosa and the effects of the substance arrive within minutes. This way of using is harmful for your nose. People experience snorting 2C-B to be fairly painful and the trip is more intense.

It is possible to get 2C-B tested at a drugs test service in the Netherlands.

Effects of 2C-B§

The effects of a substance always depend on your mental and physical state (set) and the situation/surroundings (setting) in which you use the drug. With psychedelic substances such as 2C-B, these factors play a large role in particular.

In higher doses, 2C-B is a psychedelic substance and causes an altered state of mind, changes in the perception of the senses and mental thinking processes. This state is also called ‘a trip’ or ‘tripping’. This refers to the mental journey you make. Although the change in perception by the senses is most apparent, psychedelic substances have important other effects. Some substances combine the stimulating and physical effects in a sensual or sexual way. Alexander Shulgin once mentioned that if ever an effective love stimulating substance would be discovered, it would probably look a lot like 2C-B on the chemical level. However, many don’t find 2C-B suitable as a love drug because the physical effects can be experienced as distraction. 2C-B disturbs the mental thinking processes less strongly as compared to LSD and psilocybin and is thus considered by users as ‘easier to control’. However, in high doses, 2C-B can feel just as complicated as other psychedelics.

Psychological effects

• Entactogenic (feeling of connection and openness)
• Feeling of euphoria
• (Uncontrollable) laughing
• Change in sensory perception
• Change in mood
• Change in perception of time
• Change in mental thinking processes
• Suppression of feeling tired

Sensory perception

You become increasingly sensitive to sensory impressions. The areas in your brain that control sensory stimuli (seeing, hearing, smelling, feeling, tasting) are disturbed. Colors, sounds and shapes are experienced more intensely. Objects can deform (for example, the legs of a table become rounder of the walls appear to be breathing) and sometimes seem to vibrate because of their energy. It is possible to experience a very sharp relief and to see swirling, moving patterns in a wooden floor or a field of grass. Moving objects can have an ‘afterimage’ for a few seconds. Colors can fade into each other movingly. When seeing faces, the features are more enhanced (like with cartoons).

Sometimes things are not what they seem; for example, you might think a rope is a snake, the face of your loved one looks very wrinkly or like a luminous angel: it can go in many directions. Objects can show different dimensions and start to glow, for example. With higher doses, sounds can be visualized, visible things can be heard and smells can be felt. Music can, for example, be visualized as changing patterns of light. Visible things can be heard as weird sounds.

Mental effects

The perception of space and time changes – sometimes it can feel like time isn’t moving. During a trip, thinking processes can get more associative and less usual connections are made. This can lead to surprising insights, but also to almost psychotic thinking patterns. At a moderate those, the boundaries of your own person will start to fade, which is called ego dissolution. You don’t know where you stop and someone else or your surroundings begin, so to speak. You feel like everything is connected to each other. This can be an amazing experience, but it can also be very frightening if you don’t know what’s happening to you.

Physical effects

• Enlarged pupils
• Moderate increase in heart rate and increase in blood pressure
• Sweating
• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Potentially sexually stimulating in low doses

2C-B risks§

Short-term risks:

– Nausea and vomiting
– Inducing a (drugs-)psychosis
– Bad trip

Bad trip or difficult experience

It can happen that you feel overwhelmed by the intensity of the psychedelic experience, for example as a result of a too high dose (bad trip). Such an experience can be frightening, especially for inexperienced users, not only because of the confusion caused by the high dose, but also because someone can’t fully control the flow of their thoughts anymore.

In such a situation it’s important to comfort that person by making clear that this is caused by the substance and that it will be over shortly. Allow the person as much tranquility as possible, preferably in a trusted environment. Accepting the situation is usually the first step someone has to take to continue the trip in calmer waters. Using psychedelic substances when you don’t feel a 100% well or when you’re in a new and busy environment increases the chance of negative experiences during a trip and is thus not recommended.

For people with mental disorders, epilepsy and blood circulation problems, 2C-B can cause an increased risk. Unity recommends them to not use 2C-B.

Psychoses

2C-B can trigger psychoses. People that are sensetive to psychoses the use of 2C-B can be trigger and incite a psychosis or worsen a psychosis. People with a psychotic past or with relatives with psychotic episodes should not take 2C-B.

Long-term risks

Very little is known about the effects of 2C-B in the long term. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter which is active in the peripheral and central nervous system. It is responsible for the regulating of mood, sleep, sexual behavior, body temperature and appetite, amongst others. 2C-B binds to serotonin receptors in the brain, which can cause hallucinogenic effects. Because 2C-B misses one alpha-methyl group, it is not classified as an amphetamine (like MDMA, MDEA, MDA, speed, etc.). In contrast to most amphetamines, 2C-B does not seem to exhaust the supply of serotonin in the brain. It takes over the job from serotonin temporarily, as it were, but does not use it. This suggest 2C-B might not have the neurotoxic properties of an amphetamine.

Addiction

2C-B use can result in the development of tolerance, meaning that your body, after regular use, gets used to the substance. As a result, after a while you will need more of the substance to experience an effect. This tolerance disappears after a few days. After quitting, no withdrawal symptoms are experienced.
2C-B is unlikely to be mentally addictive. Physically it is not addictive.

Combination use of 2C-B and other drugs§

Combining different substances is riskier and more unpredictable. If you combine drugs you increase the risk of health problems. Here we describe the effects and risks of a few combinations that are common or very risky. Check the theme ‘Combination use’ for more information.

2C-B and other substances

Alcohol reduces the entactogenic effects of 2C-B. Users combine 2C-B with XTC or ketamine. There is no scientific research available about combination use of 2C-B with other substances, but generally speaking, combining substances results in more risks.

Detection time§

How long a substance can be detected in your blood or urine depends on a couple of factors. It depends on how often and how much you use and your individual metabolism (the speed at which a substance is broken down by (mainly) your liver). Drugs are taken up from the blood and, after being broken down by the liver, excreted via the kidneys in the urine. Because of this, drugs can be detected for a longer period of time in urine as compared to blood.

It is unknown for how long 2C-B can be detected in blood or urine. It is reasonable to assume it is comparable to MDMA/XTC. MDMA is broken down by the liver. Within 2-3 days after use, it is not detectable anymore in blood or urine.

Unity tips§

All psychedelic substances are risky because of the chance of a bad trip and the strengthening of psychological problems. If you are planning to use these substances, you can reduce your risk by:

• Don’t use to much and too often.
• Start out with a small dose.
• Prepare yourself well; use in a trusted environment with people you trust, most people dislike tripping at a crowded party! If it’s your first time using a psychedelic substance, take it at home or in nature, but not at a party.
• Have someone around whom is not under the influence.
• Only use if you are in a good physical and mental state.
• Don’t use 2C-B when you have epilepsy, psychosis or problems with your blood circulation.
• Monitoring the effects closely: if they are too strong or unpleasant, eat something substantial and possibly take some vitamin C, dextrose or sugary drinks.
• Not fighting the unpleasant feelings of a trip, but go with the flow of the trip.
• Not combining psychedelics with other drugs (including alcohol) or medication. Especially cannabis can strengthen and extend the effects of psychedelics, so be very careful with this. It often changes the trip, and not in a positive way.
• To make sure you have the day off after use so you can process your experience.
• Don’t participtate in traffic when you are still under influence or still lazy and unfocussed from your trip. Like with other psychedelic substances, it is unsafe to use them in traffic or with dangerous machines. These substances effect your focus, attention, eyesight and coordination. If you use 2C-B, make sure you don’t need to drive afterwards. Even after the 2C-B trip you can still be dreamy and unfocused.
• Are you taking oral contraceptives? Take it a couple of hours before you take the 2C-B.
• Do you, or does one of your friends, not feel fine? Keep an eye on each other, take care of each other, and go to the first aid post (if present).
• You can get your 2C-B tested at the drugs test service in the Netherlands.

You can watch our Unity college: Psychedelics with Joost Breeksema from Stichting OPEN:

Would you like more information, do you have a question or would you like to talk about this or another drug? Check here for contact information in your area or send an e-mail to [email protected].

Read more about 2C-B on:

• Erowid
• Wikipedia
• Psychonautwiki

Would you like more information, do you have a question or would you like to chat about this or another drug? Look for contact details in your area or send an email to [email protected].