2C-I
2C-I is a psychedelic phenethylamine that was developed and popularized by Alexander Shulgin. Its full chemical name is 4-iodo-2,5-dimethoxyphenethylamine. It was described in Shulgin?s book PiHKAL. The drug is used recreationally, and perhaps as an entheogen, however no medical or industrial uses have been reported. It is mostly commonly encountered in the form of its hydrochloride salt, a fluffy white powder, and has also been pressed into tablet form.
Recreational Use
In the early 2000s, 2C-I in powder form became available for purchase from several online vendors of research chemicals in the United States, Asia, and elsewhere. In 2002 and 2003, tablets of 2C-I were being sold illegally in nightclubs and at raves in Denmark and in the United Kingdom as a club drug.
Effects
2C-I is almost always taken orally, although it can also be insufflated, smoked, or administered rectally as well. A recreational dose of 2C-I is commonly between 10 and 25mg, although doses as low as 2mg have been reported to be useful. The onset of effects usually occurs within an hour, and the effects of the drug typically last somewhere in the range of 5 to 10 hours. The effects of the drug are often described as quite similar to those of its close chemical analog 2C-B, combining psychedelic or hallucinogenic effects typical of drugs such as LSD with the empathogenic or entactogenic effects of drugs such as MDMA (ecstacy). Some users report that the effects are more mental and less sensory than those of 2C-B. Users of 2C-I do, however, tend to report a physical stimulant effect, often quite strong. Although unpleasant physical side effects such as muscle tension, nausea, and vomiting have been reported, their incidence in the use of 2C-I appears to be less common than in the use of some of the other closely related phenethylamines such as 2C-T-2 and 2C-T-7. User reports have said that 2C-I produces flashbacks in the weeks following its use. These flashbacks (a temporary form of HPPD) can last anywhere between seconds and hours, and manifest as a return of the hallucinogenic effects of the drug. Some users report being able to trigger the flashbacks at will.
Dangers
Virtually no research has been conducted on the toxicity of 2C-I. As of 2004, no scientific studies of 2C-I users have yet been conducted, and no deaths have been attributed to the drug. There have been no reports of physical dependence or addiction. Comparisons with similar compounds suggest that use of 2C-I is unlikely to result in a high level of physical dependence. In the absence of hard data, however, such conclusions are speculative.
Legality
2C-I is an illegal, controlled substance in several European nations, including Denmark, Germany, Greece, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. In December 2003, the European Council issued a binding order compelling all EU member states to ban 2C-I within three months. 2C-I is unscheduled and unregulated in the United States, however its close similarity in structure and effects to 2C-B could potentially subject possession and sale of 2C-I to prosecution under the Federal Analog Act.
See also
