Many substances are active in single milligrams, and some (LSD, some benzodiazepines, fentanyl analogues) in micrograms. At those amounts, eyeballing or "a little dab" is guesswork that gets people killed. Accurate measuring is the difference between a dose and an overdose.
Picking a scale
Look at two numbers: readability (the smallest step it shows) and capacity. A 0.001 g (1 mg) scale is the practical minimum for most powders — but accuracy degrades badly near the bottom of the range, so a "1 mg" scale is not trustworthy below roughly 10–20 mg.
Buy calibration weights and check the scale before each use, across its range — not just at one weight.
When a scale isn't enough If your dose is below ~10–20 mg, even a milligram scale can't weigh it reliably. That's exactly when you switch to volumetric dosing.
Volumetric dosing, step by step
-
1
Weigh a larger, measurable amount Weigh out an amount the scale CAN handle accurately (e.g. 50 mg) — not the tiny target dose.
-
2
Dissolve it in a measured volume of liquid Use a solvent the substance dissolves in — often distilled water, or alcohol / propylene glycol for less water-soluble substances. 50 mg in 50 mL gives 1 mg per mL.
-
3
Measure your dose by volume Draw the dose with an oral syringe. A 5 mg dose at 1 mg/mL is 5 mL — far easier to measure accurately than 5 mg of powder.
-
4
Label, store, and respect shelf life Label with substance, concentration, and date. Refrigerate, keep out of light, and remember some substances degrade in solution over days to weeks.
| Weigh | Dissolve in | Strength | 5 mg dose |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 mg | 50 mL | 1 mg/mL | 5 mL |
| 20 mg | 20 mL | 1 mg/mL | 5 mL |
| 10 mg | 100 mL | 0.1 mg/mL | 50 mL |
✓ Do
- Calibrate with reference weights before measuring.
- Use volumetric dosing for anything under ~10–20 mg.
- Label every solution with substance, strength, date.
✕ Don't
- Don't use volume of powder as a stand-in for weight.
- Don't trust a scale at the very bottom of its range.
- Don't leave solutions unlabeled where they could be mistaken for something else.