New to this world? Here are the words you'll see most often, in plain language. Each guide also has its own mini-glossary at the bottom for the terms it uses.
| Term | Meaning |
|---|
| Dose | The amount taken — often split into threshold, light, common, strong, and heavy bands. |
| Test dose | A small first dose of a new batch to check strength and for bad reactions. |
| Titration | Working up gradually in small steps to the lowest effective dose. |
| Volumetric dosing | Dissolving a known amount in a measured liquid so tiny doses can be measured accurately. |
| Redose | Taking more during the same session. |
| Tolerance | Needing more over time for the same effect; it also drops after a break. |
| Cross-tolerance | When tolerance to one substance reduces the effect of a related one. |
| Term | Meaning |
|---|
| ROA | Route of administration — how a substance enters the body. |
| Bioavailability | The fraction of a dose that reaches the bloodstream; varies by route. |
| First-pass metabolism | The liver breaking down a swallowed drug before it reaches circulation. |
| Onset | How long until you feel effects. |
| Insufflation | Snorting. |
| Sublingual / buccal | Held under the tongue / against the cheek to absorb in the mouth. |
| Plugging | Rectal administration of a dissolved dose. |
| Term | Meaning |
|---|
| Harm reduction | Reducing the risks of drug use rather than requiring abstinence. |
| Adulterant | An unexpected substance mixed into a drug. |
| Reagent test | A colour-change spot test for what may be present. |
| Potentiation | When one substance increases another's effect. |
| Naloxone | A medication (e.g. Narcan) that reverses an opioid overdose; safe and ineffective on non-opioids. |
| Set & setting | Your mindset and environment, which shape a psychedelic experience. |