2C-B
2C-B is a psychedelic phenethylamine of the 2C-x family, first synthesised by Alexander Shulgin. It produces a mix of psychedelic visual effects and mild entactogenic warmth, sitting between classic psychedelics and MDMA in character, with a moderate duration of around 4-6 hours. It is the best known and most widely used 2C compound.
01 Overview
2C-B is a ring-substituted phenethylamine acting mainly as a serotonin 5-HT2A receptor partial agonist. Users describe visual enhancement, colourful patterning, bodily and tactile intensification and a sociable, sometimes euphoric headspace that is often gentler than LSD. Dose is strongly non-linear: a small increase can shift the experience from mild and sensual to intensely psychedelic, so careful measurement matters.
Formal human research is limited to a small number of pharmacology studies and survey data; most knowledge is anecdotal or from harm-reduction sources. Physical risks include nausea, vasoconstriction and, at higher doses, anxiety and confusion. It is widely mis-sold, and powders/pills labelled 2C-B may contain other, more dangerous substances.
02 Mechanism
Partial agonist at serotonin 5-HT2A receptors (with 5-HT2C activity), the shared mechanism of the classic serotonergic psychedelics.
03 Dosing
| Tier | Dose | Route | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Threshold | 5–10 mg | Oral | Mild sensory and body effects. |
| Common | 15–25 mg | Oral | Full psychedelic-entactogenic effect; dose-response is steep. |
| Strong | 25–40 mg | Oral | Intense visuals; higher anxiety and nausea risk. Insufflated doses are lower and harsher. |
04 Effects
| Effect | Magnitude | Evidence | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visual enhancement and psychedeliaColour enhancement, geometric patterning and visual movement. | Anecdotal | ||
| Entactogenic warmthSociability, tactile enhancement and mild MDMA-like emotional openness. | Anecdotal | ||
| Euphoria and mood liftPositive mood and energy at common doses. | Anecdotal |
05 Side effects
| Effect | Severity | Frequency | Evidence | Countermeasures |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nausea and gastrointestinal upsetNausea, occasionally vomiting, especially during onset. | Mild | Common | Anecdotal | |
| Vasoconstriction and cardiovascular strainPeripheral vasoconstriction, raised heart rate and blood pressure; a concern for those with cardiovascular disease. | Moderate | Common | Anecdotal | |
| Anxiety and psychological distressAnxiety, confusion or a difficult experience, particularly at high or misjudged doses. | Moderate | Common at higher doses | Anecdotal |