2C’s

Compound: 4-bromo-2,5-dimethoxyphenethylamine 2C-x refers to psychedelic phenethylamines with methoxy groups on the 2 and 5 positions. Other members of the 2C family are 2C-C, 2C-D, 2C-E, 2C-F, 2C-G, 2C-I, 2C-P, 2C-T-2, 2C-T-7 and many more.
Other names: 2C, 2C-T-x, 2C-x, Bees

2CB is a psychedelic stimulant that acts on the central nervous system (CNS) speeding up breathing and heart rate. It can cause changes in perception of reality and thought processes within the user. It was first synthesized in 1974 by Dr. Alexander Shulgin. 2C-B is considered both a hallucinogen and a mild entactogen. “Entactogen” means “touching within,” and is a term used by psychiatrists to classify MDMA and related drugs. 2C-B belongs to a family of drugs known as the “2Cs.” These include 2C-I, 2C-E, 2C-T-7 and many others. 2C-B and the other 2Cs are usually sold as a white powder in baggies or gel caps, but are sometimes pressed into tablets resembling ecstasy tablets. Members of the 2C family are alike with variations in effects and duration.

Know Your Body & Mind — ‘Set’

Know Your Environment — ‘Setting’

Know Your Drug — Practice Harm Reduction

ADMINISTRATION

Most commonly swallowed but can also be snorted or shelved/plugged

DURATION OF EFFECTS

Duration can vary greatly between members of the 2C-x family and by chosen route of administration

2C-B  (Swallowed)

Total duration: 5-7 hours

Onset: 20-40 minutes 

Peak: 60-90 minutes

Coming down: 2-3.5 hours 

After effects: 2-4 hours

Half life:

A drug’s half-life is the length of time required for the concentration of the drug to decrease to half of its starting dose in the body. Even though the apparent effects of the drug wear off after 4-8 hours, the drug is still active in your system for up to 4-8 hours after you have taken it. Remember this if using other substances or redosing. 

DRUG TESTS

Roadside Police: Roadside saliva tests do not look for 2C-x but other substances can be detected that might have been cut into your 2C-x (Such as MDMA/amphetamines). It is illegal to drive under the influence of any illicit drugs, including 2C-x and any driver may be subject to a roadside behavioural impairment test. Wait at least 24 hours before driving.

Workplace: OHS law gives employers rights to test employees for drug use. This should be contained in workplace policy, it should be reasonable, and a risk assessment should be done to determine whether testing of employees is appropriate. 

Urine: 1 – 4 days  Hair: Up to 90 days  Blood: up to 2 days

EFFECTS
Effects vary from person to person. Check out our table below that has listed the potential physical, psychological and emotional effects.

Safer dosing

Taking drugs is never without risk. In an unregulated market it’s impossible to know the purity or dose of any drug.  ‘Dose’ depends on the form a drug is in (liquid, powder, pill, crystal) and how you have it (snort, eat, inject).

  • Small/sensitive people/first timers: 10-15mg
  • Recommended dose for most people: 15-25mg
  • Strong dose: 25-45mg
  • Heavy dose: 45mg+
  • Optional redose: half of the original dose, 2–3 hours in.
  • Use a scale to measure the exact amount you would like to take (eg. use 3DP scales if possible, try only a 1/4 pill or with crystal/powder, shake the bag & crush well)
  • Use in a comfortable environment with people you trust.
  • It is a good idea to start with a small amount.
  • Start with a very small amount to gauge strength and assess your sensitivity, purity and strength of pills/powder may vary greatly. Especially if trying a new ‘batch’, source/dealer, or you have a low tolerance.
  • Wait plenty of time to feel the effects – it may take longer than you expect for the effects to come on.
  • Give it at least 2 hours to work.
  • Consider carefully before redosing as it is easy to take too much.
  • Re dosing may increase the risk of negative impacts

Drug Checking/ ‘Pill Testing’: Lab-quality testing has been trialled in Australia and is not available as a health service yet but DIY reagent testing is an option and reagents Marquis, Mecke, Robadope and Simon react with 2C-B.  [See photos of testing results here > verbinding.110110]

Physical effects

COMMON

  • Dry mouth
  • Increased heart rate 
  • Pleasant body high
  • Increased blood pressure 
  • Increased feeling of control over body
  • Nausea 
  • Increased energy/ vomiting 
  • Unusual body sensations (facial flushing, chills, goosebumps, body energy, feeling like you have urinated on yourself or have started menstruating) 
  • Pupil dilation
  • Teeth grinding
  • Decreased appetite
  • Change in body temperature regulation
  • Muscle tension/twitching

 

LESS COMMON

  • Stomach discomfort
  • Lethargy (feeling heavy)
  • Unusual body sensations (facial flushing, chills, goosebumps, body energy, feeling like you have urinated on yourself or have started menstruating) 
  • Nausea/vomiting

 

RARE

  • Serotonin syndrome (2CE, 2CI and 2CTx etc)

Emotional effects

COMMON

  • Mood lift/Euphoria
  • Increased empathy 
  • Meaningful spiritual experiences
  • Enhanced sense of connection with the world (beings or objects)
  • Increased appreciation of music

 

LESS COMMON

  • Feeling of oneness and connection with the universe and all beings

Psychological effects

COMMON

  • Anxiety, fear and panic
  • Sensory enhancement (taste, smell, touch, etc.)
  • Auditory hallucinations or buzzing sounds
  • Visuals can look like Kaleidoscopic colours or sparkles everywhere
  • Strong visual hallucinations
  • Increased associative and creative thinking 
  • Insomnia
  • Changed consciousness / shift in perspective
  • Distorted perception of time
  • Exacerbate existing mental illness

 

LESS COMMON

  • Difficulty integrating experiences
  • Temporary inability to communicate

 

RARE

  • Psychosis
  • Various levels of anxiety or panic
  • Overwhelming fear
  • Paranoia
  • Ego dissolution / ego death

SAFER USING 

‘Set’ is the mindset a person brings with them and includes the physical, emotional and spiritual condition of the person, their expectations about the drug’s effects and how they will react to it. ‘Setting’ is the environment that a person is in, including the social environment, who you are with and the physical surroundings, e.g. at home, at a festival or an unfamiliar location. For psychedelic drugs, more so than other psychoactive substances, set and setting are very important in determining the nature of the experience. 

  • Use in a comfortable  environment with people you trust 
  • Have a sober friend or experienced user present (trip sitter), especially for your first time 
  • Eat something and wait 30 minutes before using. 
  • Have snacks and water ready for the journey.
  • Always dose yourself. This way you know how much you are taking. 
  • You can cut tabs/pills into smaller pieces to make smaller doses if you are unsure of potency. 
  • It is better not to take 2CB if you don’t feel well (physically or emotionally). It can amplify these feelings. 
  • Try to make sure you haven’t got anything important to do the next day 
  • You may need some recovery time from the experience 
  • Try not to make any big decisions about life or people during the experience or until you have fully ‘landed’. 
  • Research ‘Integration’, which is an ongoing process afterward to translate your psychedelic experience to have a positive impact in your life.

SNORTING

  • Snorting this substance can be particularly painful and may affect your experience.
  • Crush the powder so there’s no crystals (sparkles can cause little cuts).
  • Snort water before and after to avoid damaging the protective lining in your nose. 
  • Use your own clean straw/spoon for snorting to prevent the risk of infection or blood borne virus transmission  (‘BBV’ e.g. hepatitis C) via microscopic amounts of blood.
  • Do not use money – it is covered in bacteria. 
  • Repeated snorting can damage the membranes of the nose leading to blood noses and possible permanent damage to the septum. 
  • Switch nostrils regularly and give your nose a break.

 

SAFER HANDLING

Carrying 2C-B (and family) and paraphernalia (e.g. injecting/snorting/plugging equipment) puts you at risk of criminal charges including trafficking, even if you don’t deal. Know your local laws Know your local laws e.g. the Drugs Misuse Act 1986 (Qld), the Drugs Poisons and Controlled Substance Act 1981 (Vic).

 

It is not recommended to use 2C-B and family if you have or are at risk of:
 Heart problems • Severe or uncontrolled high blood pressure • Recent stroke • Psychotic disorders • Sleep deprivation • Anxiety • Depression • Schizophrenia • Other mental health issues

Drug combinations

Polydrug use has many possible outcomes. What could be fun for one person could be dangerous for another. We recommend you proceed with caution.

Unsafe combinations

  • 2C-T-x mixed with stimulants/psychedelics – Extra caution is advised. Can lead to an increase in potency of both substances which can be dangerous. 
  • Tramadol – known to lower seizure threshold and psychedelics raise the risk of seizures.

Cautionary combinations

  • Alcohol – risk of nausea and vomiting, decrease in effects 
  • MAOIs – unpredictable increase of potency and duration

Low risk effects

  • Cannabis – can intensify trip with unexpected effects 
  • SSRl’s – Decrease in effects 
  • Depressants – decrease in effects

Check out the TripSit drug combinations chart here for info on other combinations.

Call 000 if experiencing adverse effects, feel unwell or concerned in any way

Disclaimer

This educational resource has been developed collaboratively by healthcare workers and people who use drugs for their peers and the wider community. The role of Hi-Ground is to provide practical, evidence-based, unbiased information to assist you to make educated choices and to promote harm reduction, community care, and wellbeing. In an unregulated market it’s impossible to know the purity or dose of any substance. Taking drugs from an unregulated market carries its own risk, and you can educate yourself and practice harm reduction to reduce this risk.

Knowledge is power.

This resource is produced by DanceWize & Hi-Ground