2C-B is a psychedelic phenethylamine first synthesized by Alexander Shulgin in 1974. The full name of the chemical is 4-bromo-2,5-dimethoxyphenethylamine. In his book PIHKAL (Phenethylamines I Have Known and Loved), Shulgin lists the dosage range as 16 to 24 mg. 2C-B is a white powder usually found in pressed tablets or gel caps, and is almost always taken orally. Snorting is also an effective, though extremely painful, way to ingest the drug. On December 20, 1994, in a notice of proposed rulemaking published in the Federal Register (59 FR 65521) and after a review of relevant data, the Deputy Administrator of the DEA proposed to place 4-bromo-2,5-DMPEA into Schedule I making 2C-B illegal in the United States. This became permanant law July, 2 1995. Recently a 2C-B has been distributed under the street name "Nexus." In the past 2C-B has also been distributed as "Eve" and "Venus" and "bromo-mescaline."

Not much information is known about the toxicity of 2C-B. 2C-B's hallucinogenic effects are probably explained by the fact that the drug binds to serotonin receptors. Because 2C-B lacks an alpha-methyl group it is not considered an amphetamine such as MDMA, MEA, methamphetamine, or fenfluramine. 2C-B does not seem to deplete the brain of serotonin, and this suggests that it probably does not share the neurotoxic properties of some amphetamines. It must be made clear that this information is suggestive and should be interpreted with caution.

At lower doses 2C-B produces an entactogenic effect, but at higher doses the drug can produce intense visual and auditory effects.

External Links