2C-E Stats & Data
NCCc1cc(OC)c(CC)cc1OCVDRGNAMREYBIHA-UHFFFAOYSA-NReceptor Profile
Receptor Actions
History & Culture
1977–1991
2C-E was first synthesized by Alexander Shulgin in 1977. His findings were documented in detail in the 1991 book PiHKAL (Phenethylamines I Have Known and Loved), co-authored with Ann Shulgin. This influential work contained synthesis instructions, bioassays, dosages, and commentary for over 200 psychedelic compounds, most of which Shulgin had developed himself. Shulgin considered 2C-E one of his most significant discoveries, including it among his "magical half-dozen" - a personal ranking of the most important phenethylamine compounds he had encountered. This group comprised mescaline alongside five of Shulgin's own inventions: DOM, 2C-B, 2C-E, 2C-T-2, and 2C-T-7.
2004–present
2C-E became increasingly popular in recreational contexts during the early 2000s, distributed primarily through online research chemical vendors. The compound began appearing in drug seizures around 2004. It has occasionally been sold on the street as "mescaline" or "synthetic mescaline," capitalizing on the structural relationship between phenethylamines and mescaline despite significant differences in pharmacology and subjective effects. The substance developed a reputation for producing deeply meaningful experiences, with references to this quality appearing across online discussion forums and in published literature. Myron J. Stolaroff's "Thanatos to Eros: 35 Years of Psychedelic Exploration" is among the works that discuss the compound's potential for profound introspective experiences.
Subjective Effect Notes
cognitive: The head space of 2C-E is described by many as one which is both insightful and relatively normal in its thought processes even at moderate to high dosages.
Effect Profile
Curated + 523 ReportsStrong visuals, headspace, auditory effects, and body load
Duration Timeline
BluelightEmpirical Duration
Erowid ReportsCommunity Effects
TripSitTolerance & Pharmacokinetics
drugs.wikiTolerance Decay
Tolerance patterns for 5‑HT2A psychedelics are based on community reports and general HR guidance; high inter‑individual variability. Allow 1–2 weeks between sessions for best effect restoration.
Cross-Tolerances
Demographics
Gender Distribution
Age Distribution
Reports Over Time
Effect Analysis
Erowid + BluelightEffects aggregated from 446 experience reports (396 Erowid + 127 Bluelight)
Effect Sentiment Distribution
Confidence Distribution
Positive Effects 68
Adverse Effects 42
Dose-Response Correlation
How effect frequency changes across dose levels
Oral
View data table
| Effect | Light (n=15) | Common (n=38) | Strong (n=127) | Heavy (n=23) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visual Distortions | 93.3% | 86.8% | 92.1% | 95.7% |
| Color Enhancement | 73.3% | 76.3% | 64.6% | 65.2% |
| Stimulation | 66.7% | 63.2% | 44.1% | 43.5% |
| Music Enhancement | 60.0% | 65.8% | 59.8% | 43.5% |
| Anxiety | 60.0% | 50.0% | 52.8% | 34.8% |
| Nausea | 60.0% | 47.4% | 50.4% | 34.8% |
| Tactile Enhancement | 53.3% | 23.7% | 40.2% | 21.7% |
| Muscle Tension | 46.7% | 26.3% | 24.4% | 13.0% |
| Confusion | 26.7% | 36.8% | 44.9% | 34.8% |
| Focus Enhancement | 33.3% | 44.7% | 29.9% | 8.7% |
| Empathy | 26.7% | 44.7% | 38.6% | 34.8% |
| Increased Heart Rate | 40.0% | 10.5% | 7.1% | 13.0% |
| Introspection | 40.0% | 28.9% | 36.2% | 13.0% |
| Euphoria | 40.0% | 34.2% | 37.8% | 39.1% |
| Sedation | 33.3% | 23.7% | 29.9% | 0% |
Insufflated
View data table
| Effect | Strong (n=16) | Heavy (n=11) |
|---|---|---|
| Visual Distortions | 75.0% | 90.9% |
| Stimulation | 68.8% | 45.5% |
| Nausea | 43.8% | 63.6% |
| Anxiety | 56.2% | 45.5% |
| Music Enhancement | 56.2% | 54.5% |
| Focus Enhancement | 56.2% | 0% |
| Color Enhancement | 56.2% | 54.5% |
| Euphoria | 31.2% | 45.5% |
| Body High | 12.5% | 45.5% |
| Closed-Eye Visuals | 43.8% | 27.3% |
| Empathy | 25.0% | 36.4% |
| Dissociation | 12.5% | 36.4% |
| Confusion | 25.0% | 27.3% |
| Memory Suppression | 12.5% | 27.3% |
| Auditory Effects | 25.0% | 0% |
Subjective Effect Ontology
Experience ReportsStructured effect tags extracted from 523 Erowid & Bluelight experience reports using a controlled vocabulary of 220+ canonical effects across 15 domains.
Auditory
Cognitive
Emotional
Gastrointestinal
Motor
Tactile
Visual
Dose–Effect Mapping
Experience ReportsHow reported effects shift across dose tiers, based on 396 experience reports.
| Effect | Strong (n=16) | Heavy (n=11) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| visual distortions | ↑ | ||
| stimulation | ↓ | ||
| nausea | ↑ | ||
| anxiety | ↓ | ||
| music enhancement | → | ||
| focus enhancement | — | → | |
| color enhancement | → | ||
| euphoria | ↑ | ||
| body high | ↑ | ||
| closed-eye visuals | ↓ | ||
| empathy | ↑ | ||
| dissociation | ↑ | ||
| confusion | → | ||
| memory suppression | ↑ | ||
| auditory effects | — | → | |
| tactile enhancement | ↓ | ||
| muscle tension | — | → | |
| open-eye visuals | → | ||
| sedation | → | ||
| introspection | → |
Showing top 20 of 24 effects
| Effect | Light (n=15) | Common (n=38) | Strong (n=127) | Heavy (n=23) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| visual distortions | → | ||||
| color enhancement | → | ||||
| stimulation | ↓ | ||||
| music enhancement | ↓ | ||||
| anxiety | ↓ | ||||
| nausea | ↓ | ||||
| tactile enhancement | ↓ | ||||
| muscle tension | ↓ | ||||
| confusion | ↑ | ||||
| focus enhancement | ↓ | ||||
| empathy | ↑ | ||||
| increased heart rate | ↓ | ||||
| introspection | ↓ | ||||
| euphoria | → | ||||
| sedation | — | → | |||
| pupil dilation | ↓ | ||||
| closed-eye visuals | → | ||||
| auditory effects | → | ||||
| open-eye visuals | ↓ | ||||
| ego dissolution | — | → |
Showing top 20 of 33 effects
Risk Escalation
Sentiment AnalysisAverage frequency of positive vs adverse effects across dose tiers (Oral)
View effect breakdown
Adverse Effects
| Effect | Light (n=15) | Common (n=38) | Strong (n=127) | Heavy (n=23) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anxiety | -42% | ||||
| Nausea | -42% | ||||
| Muscle Tension | -72% | ||||
| Confusion | +30% | ||||
| Increased Heart Rate | -67% | ||||
| Pupil Dilation | -73% | ||||
| Headache | -67% | ||||
| Jaw Clenching | — | — | -40% | ||
| Memory Suppression | — | 10% | |||
| Motor Impairment | — | — | 4% | ||
| Sweating | — | — | +77% | ||
| Thought Loops | — | — | +262% | ||
| Psychosis | — | — | — | 0% | |
| Seizure | — | — | — | 0% |
Positive Effects
| Effect | Light (n=15) | Common (n=38) | Strong (n=127) | Heavy (n=23) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Color Enhancement | -11% | ||||
| Stimulation | -34% | ||||
| Music Enhancement | -27% | ||||
| Tactile Enhancement | -59% | ||||
| Focus Enhancement | -73% | ||||
| Empathy | +30% | ||||
| Introspection | -67% | ||||
| Euphoria | -2% | ||||
| Body High | — | +30% | |||
| Creativity Enhancement | — | -40% |
Risk Escalation
Sentiment AnalysisAverage frequency of positive vs adverse effects across dose tiers (Insufflated)
View effect breakdown
Adverse Effects
| Effect | Strong (n=16) | Heavy (n=11) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nausea | +45% | ||
| Anxiety | -19% | ||
| Confusion | 9% | ||
| Memory Suppression | +118% | ||
| Muscle Tension | — | 0% | |
| Thought Loops | — | 0% | |
| Psychosis | — | 0% |
Positive Effects
| Effect | Strong (n=16) | Heavy (n=11) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stimulation | -33% | ||
| Music Enhancement | -3% | ||
| Focus Enhancement | — | 0% | |
| Color Enhancement | -3% | ||
| Euphoria | +45% | ||
| Body High | +264% | ||
| Empathy | +45% | ||
| Tactile Enhancement | -27% | ||
| Introspection | -3% |
Dosage Distribution
Dose distribution from experience reports
Oral
Insufflated
Real-World Dose Distribution
62K DosesFrom 443 individual dose entries
Oral (n=318)
Insufflated (n=62)
Smoked (n=8)
Intramuscular (n=7)
Sublingual (n=6)
Common Combinations
Most co-occurring substances in experience reports
Form / Preparation
Most common forms and preparations reported
Body-Weight Dosing
Dose relative to body weight from reports with weight data
Oral
Insufflated
Redose Patterns
Redosing behavior across 299 reports
Legal Status
| Country | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | Dangerous Drugs (Queensland) | In Queensland, added to the 'Dangerous Drugs' list under the Drugs Misuse Amendment Act 2008, making production, supply, and possession illegal. |
| Austria | Illegal (NPSG) | Prohibited under the Neue-Psychoaktive-Substanzen-Gesetz (NPSG). The accompanying NPSV regulation explicitly bans all substituted phenethylamines under Schedule II. |
| Brazil | Illegal | Possession, production, and sale prohibited under Portaria SVS/MS nº 344 since February 18, 2014. |
| Canada | Schedule III | Classified under Schedule III of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act as of October 31, 2016, as a derivative of 2,5-dimethoxyphenethylamine. |
| China | Category I Psychotropic Substance | Controlled since October 2015. Sale, purchase, import, export, and manufacture are illegal. |
| Denmark | Schedule B | Added to the list of Schedule B controlled substances as of April 8, 2007. |
| Finland | Illegal | Possession, production, and sale prohibited. Banned in December 2014 under a government regulation controlling over 100 psychoactive substances. |
| Germany | Anlage I BtMG | Listed under Anlage I of the Betäubungsmittelgesetz (Narcotics Act) as of December 13, 2014. Manufacturing, possession, import, export, purchase, sale, and dispensing without license are prohibited. |
| Israel | Controlled Substance | Added to Israel's controlled substances list in December 2007, making purchase, sale, and possession illegal. |
| Japan | Designated Substance (Shitei-Yakubutsu) | Controlled under the Pharmaceutical Affairs Law, prohibiting possession and sale. |
| Latvia | Schedule I | Classified as a Schedule I controlled substance under national drug legislation. |
| New Zealand | Class C (Schedule 3) | Controlled under the catch-all Analogues section in Schedule 3 / Class C of the Misuse of Drugs Act, alongside other phenethylamine derivatives. |
| Poland | IV-P Psychotropic Group | Classified as a controlled substance within the IV-P psychotropic group under Polish drug legislation. |
| Portugal | Decriminalized (personal use) | Possession of quantities not exceeding a ten-day personal supply is decriminalized. Production and distribution remain criminal offenses. |
| Sweden | Health Hazard Classification | Classified as dangerous to health under the Act on the Prohibition of Certain Goods Dangerous to Health (Lagen om förbud mot vissa hälsofarliga varor) since October 1, 2004, via regulation SFS 2004:696. Sale and possession are illegal. |
| Switzerland | Controlled (Verzeichnis E) | Specifically named as a controlled substance under Verzeichnis E of Swiss narcotics legislation. |
| Turkey | Illegal | Classified as a controlled drug. Possession, production, supply, and import are prohibited. |
| United Kingdom | Class A | Controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 following the 2002 amendment, which introduced a phenethylamine catch-all clause covering 2C-E and related compounds. Production, supply, and possession are illegal. |
| United States | Schedule I | Federally controlled under the Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act of 2012 as of July 9, 2012. Possession, distribution, and manufacture are illegal without DEA license. Additionally scheduled at state level in Alabama, Louisiana, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Vermont, and Virginia. |
Harm Reduction
drugs.wikiREASONS AND SOURCES FOR EACH HARM-REDUCTION POINT (added fields below follow these justifications):
- Dose sensitivity and weighing: Multiple HR sources list a narrow active range (roughly 5–20 mg orally) with big effect jumps per few milligrams, so precise weighing is essential. The Drug Users Bible compiles ranges and explicitly notes dose sensitivity; Drugs‑Forum and Erowid archives echo this. Therefore, clear dose brackets and scale/volumetric dosing guidance are warranted.
- Onset variability and redose risk: TripSit documents oral onset variability, sometimes taking up to 3 hours. Early redosing risks overshooting once the delayed come‑up arrives. So the onset window in duration and a note to wait at least 3 hours before considering any redose are included.
- Route harms (insufflation): TripSit lists intranasal use with shorter total duration but, in practice, users report severe nasal pain and harsher body load. Because this ROA increases acute adverse effects, I flag it as strongly discouraged and avoid providing numeric doses.
- Duration planning and after‑effects: Hi‑Ground’s 2C‑x guidance lists 2C‑E total 6–10 h with after‑effects up to 24 h, aligning with user reports; thus the duration curve includes a conservative envelope for planning.
- Interactions: TripSit’s combination chart and write‑ups consistently flag MAOIs as dangerous with 2C‑x phenethylamines and warn about serotonin/seizure risks with tramadol; community HR threads also warn against lithium with classic psychedelics. Accordingly, MAOIs, tramadol, and lithium are set to “dangerous”, while DXM and stimulants are “unsafe,” and SSRIs, alcohol, cannabis, and benzos are placed under “caution.”
- Reagent testing and misrepresentation risk: To reduce the risk of misidentified materials (e.g., 2C‑x being sold as MDMA or vice versa), I added explicit reagent expectations for 2C‑E (Marquis: no reaction; Mandelin: yellow/green; Mecke: brown) sourced from Drugs‑Forum’s reagent table. Saferparty’s alerts show 2C‑x pills mis-sold as MDMA, underscoring the need for multi‑reagent testing.
- Volumetric dosing feasibility and solution stability: TripSit notes ~50 mg/mL aqueous solubility and reasonable solution stability for 2C‑E HCl, but crystallization can occur below room temperature—supporting advice to use dilute solutions, label clearly, and store at room temp away from light.
- Set/setting and mental intensity: TripSit emphasizes 2C‑E’s heavy body load and strong visuals; prudent advice includes calm set/setting, sitter for higher doses, and avoiding crowded/overstimulating contexts for inexperienced users.
- Driving/operating machinery: Hi‑Ground recommends not driving for at least 24 hours after 2C‑x use; included under practical safety.
- Tolerance spacing: Community consensus for 5‑HT2A psychedelics suggests noticeable tolerance for days and near‑baseline by 1–2 weeks; I preserved your existing tolerance windows and note cross‑tolerance to other psychedelics. Data quality here is anecdotal; users should allow ample time between sessions.
APPLIED HARM-REDUCTION DETAILS (reflected in the JSON fields): 2C‑E often produces stronger body load than some other 2C‑x; effects escalate steeply with dose, so start low and avoid redosing during the first 3 hours. Use a calibrated 0.001 g scale or volumetric dosing to avoid mis-measurement; 2C‑E HCl dissolves in water (approx. ≤50 mg/mL) but can recrystallize if chilled. Always multi‑test unknown samples with reagents; expected 2C‑E reactions include Marquis: no reaction, Mecke: brown, Mandelin: yellow/green—reagents do not confirm purity or dose. Be aware that 2C‑x tablets are sometimes mis‑sold as MDMA; strong set/setting control and a trusted sober sitter are recommended for higher doses. Avoid MAOIs, lithium, and tramadol; avoid combining with other stimulants or DXM; SSRIs may blunt effects; cannabis can potentiate visuals and anxiety; alcohol adds nausea/dehydration and impairs judgment. Insufflation is strongly discouraged due to severe nasal pain and spikier adverse effects. Maintain moderate ambient temperature, sip water regularly (not excessively), and avoid driving for at least 24 hours post‑use. Those with cardiovascular disease, seizure history, or severe anxiety should avoid use or seek medical advice.