Hey there nexians! I wrote this up with the aim of spreading general substance harm reduction information. Despite its length, I would be happy to see people using the thread as a reference for safe use wherever they go.

I would also like to thank dreamer042 for proofreading this essay and helping me improve it.

Harm reduction is an approach to drug use with the intent of minimizing the dangers associated with the drug and (perhaps), maximizing the benefits of the drug.

By practicing the necessary harm reduction steps, you can avoid physical and mental harm, a hospital trip, and even death! Stay safe folks.



Arguably one of the most important aspects of drug use, is researching the drug first before you consider using it. You may have tried this before and come across silly websites like drugfreeworld.org (funded by scientology lol) which offer nothing more than scare tactics.

But not to worry! There are plenty of great resources for researching any and all kinds of substances to ensure you do not cause any harm to yourself. Duration, dosage, toxicity, addiction potential, and effects are just some of the things you will need to know.

- https://psychonautwiki.org/wiki/Main_Page
- https://www.erowid.org/
- http://drugs.tripsit.me/
- https://rollsafe.org/ (MDMA)
- https://tripsafe.org/ (Trip guide)



On the topic of researching drugs online, it is very important you research drug combinations also. Tripsit.me provide a combination chart for a quick reference, but this chart is in no way adequate to use as your only resource. It is of utmost importance you research your intended combination extensively before combining the two or more substances you plan to consume.

- http://wiki.tripsit.me/images/3/3a/Combo_2.png
- http://combo.tripsit.me
- https://www.erowid.org/c.../maois/maois_info4.shtml

Note: It is important to remember that even though the chart says some combinations are physically safe, combining them can still make for a very intense experience, so please take caution.



Another branch of substance research is experience reports. These are anecdotal explanations of an experience with a substance someone has taken. There are upsides and downsides to these, some of which I will cover here. They are beneficial in that they give you an idea of how the substance could affect you without you actually taking it, this will help you prepare for an experience as it will give you an idea on what to expect.

What are the problems with these reports though? Well, first of all, as these are, after all, anecdotal reports, experiences will vary quite a lot person to person, particularly with hallucinogens like LSD or Mescaline for example. A person is also likely to exaggerate their experience with a substance with the intention of making it into more of a “story” than a simple experience report. This can be excused to a certain extent with DMT for instance but one must be wary when reading experience reports in general.

Another thing that I see rarely pointed out is that it is very possible the experience report you’re reading could be of a different substance entirely. To take an example, someone could be writing a report for some 2cb they thought they took, but it was really just some MDMA.

In addition, you might also notice that there are more bad experience reports of something than there are good reports. This might not always be the case but it can be quite a common trend for trip reports about psychedelics, one possible explanation for this is that someone might feel more inclined to write a trip report if they had a very bad experience as opposed to a very good one. We also notice this trend in online reviews of technology, games and the like.

There are more issues that I could talk about but you get the idea. You should consider reading multiple reports (good and bad), avoid letting one trip report fool or scare you, take each experience report with a grain of salt.

Read trip reports with the following links:

- https://erowid.org/experiences/
- https://psychonautwiki.org/wiki/Experience_index
- https://www.shroomery.org/6255/Trip-Reports
- https://www.dmt-nexus.me...lt.aspx?g=topics&f=3 (DMT)



With more and more research chemicals being invented by the day and the general careless attitudes of greedy dealers, it becomes increasingly important for your safety to ensure the drugs you’re buying are the real thing and do not contain any other unwanted substances. But how does one go about this exactly?

Luckily for you, testing and separation kits can be purchased to identify what substance you have, or at least do not have. Purchasing multiple test kits is advised, especially if you consume a wide variety of drugs.

First of all, we must learn how to use a testing kit: https://dancesafe.org/testing-kit-instructions/



Secondly, we need to find a reliable source for purchasing a kit:

- Europe: https://www.reagent-tests.uk/shop/
- North America: https://dancesafe.org/shop/

You can also separate multiple substances in a sample and test them individually with the separation kit (an amazing piece of kit if I must say so myself):
https://bunkpolice.com/skylab-basics/

Drug testing videos: https://www.youtube.com/user/BunkPolice/videos

Sending samples to a lab is also an option:

- https://energycontrol-in...ice/submitting-a-sample/
- https://www.ecstasydata.org/send_sample.php

If you are on the fence about purchasing a testing kit, consider watching this documentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcwgH7HEA0w

Tip: Keep the chemicals in a fridge if possible to keep them fresher for longer, testing kits do eventually expire.



Aside from testing kits, a weighing scales is another crucial piece of equipment. Without a weighing scales, you are at risk of taking too high of a dose of a certain substance which could result in a mentally or physically scarring experience, or even a trip to the hospital. This is very important as eyeballing can be a very dangerous approach to drug use, especially in the milligram range.

In some cases a 0.01g “Gram scales” will be better, such as weighing cannabis. However, other substances (such as MDMA) will need to be weighed using a 0.001g “Milligram scales”. The most popular milligram scale is the Gemini 20 scale which can be bought online, I’ve provided a quick link to some other scales if you wish to purchase those.

- Milligram Scales (0.001g): https://www.reagent-test.../product/a03-mg-balance/
- Gram Scales (0.01g): https://tinyurl.com/y8bovcbq

As mentioned above, taking the right dose of something is crucial. The macho attitude a lot of people adopt to the dose of something they take is irresponsible and stupid, all it does is lead to people hurting themselves and maybe others.

When researching whatever substance it is you plan to take on any of the websites linked above, they will have a general recommendation for a low, common, and high dose. As a general rule of thumb, you’re better off taking a low dose first time as is it very possible you could be sensitive to that one specific substance.

Many factors come into play which will decide how strongly a substance will affect you (these factors also depend on the substance itself, for example, LSD potency is barely, if at all, affected by a person’s weight). Some of these general factors include your metabolism, weight, age, sex, natural tolerance, cross tolerance, etc etc.

Tip: If you want to be extra safe, consider taking a sub-threshold “allergy dose” first to see if you may be allergic to the drug you intend to consume. This is especially important for people that have a range of health issues.



Most milligram scales are inaccurate under around 50mg and become very inaccurate under 20mg. What might one do in this situation if they wish to weigh a very potent substance? Volumetric dosing may be done to get around this. It involves dissolving a substance in a liquid (usually strong vodka or distilled water) and using a dropper to get an accurate dose.

Learn more about volumetric dosing here:

- https://wiki.tripsit.me/...ide_to_Volumetric_Dosing
- http://volume.tripsit.me/ (Volumetric Calculator)



Supplements can serve a range of purposes but are usually taken to mitigate toxicity the drug may cause to your internal organs such as the brain.

Supplements are important for certain types of drugs, check when researching if you will need to supplement with your drug of choice. An example of a substance which must be supplemented with is MDMA.

Supplements may be purchased from a number of health stores in your area and online.

- https://ie.iherb.com/
- https://rollsafe.org/mdma-supplements/ (Supplement guide for MDMA)



Research chemicals are drugs that have little to no history of documented use. These typically come with extra risks for that very reason and extra caution should be taken before one considers using them. Extensive harm reduction is advised.

- https://psychonautwiki.org/wiki/Research_chemicals



This is a first aid position someone can be placed in whilst they are unconcious. It promotes an open airway and prevents someone from dying by suffocating on their own vomit. This unfortunately happens to quite a lot of people who overdose on certain drugs but many lives would be saved if people knew how to put themselves or somebody else into this recovery position.

Learn how to perform this life saving technique here:

- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRQePNmR66w

Important Note: Just because someone is in this position, it doesn’t mean it’s okay not to call the emergency services. If possible, ring the emergency services for an ambulance as soon as possible. Ensure to monitor the status of the person in the meantime.



- Store drugs in solid form in a ziplock “baggie” to preserve freshness.

- Store liquid drugs in glass vials (preferably with a dropper).

- Be it a baggie or vial you have, get a sticky note of some kind so you can label what substance it actually is. This is so you won’t mix them up by accident and consume the wrong one.

- Try to realise when safe use becomes misuse. If you feel as if you are taking drugs too often, or are neglecting other aspects of life by investing too much energy into chasing that next high, it is HIGHLY advised you take a break and try to regain control of things before it’s too late.

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The vast majority of people who will read this have a special interest in psychedelics, dissociatives and deliriants. And so, I saw fit to include a section of its own specifically for them.

Psychedelics and dissociatives in particular can be greatly beneficial to people in many aspects of life. They seem to show great promise in tackling depression, curing addictions, increasing general life satisfaction, and so on. However, to ensure you maximize all the potential benefits, you will need to take a number of steps to ensure the experience runs smoothly and that you can integrate the trip effectively.

Mindset

This refers to someone’s mind or headspace going into the experience. Psychedelic experiences are greatly subjective and are heavily affected by one’s mental state entering the experience.

If you had a trip planned for some Friday, and on that Friday something happens which gets you down, it is very likely that your experience will be a difficult one and the trip should be put off for another time.

As a general rule of thumb, ensure you’re in a good mental state when entering into an experience. Psychedelics are known to amplify bad feelings, and on the other side of the coin, amplify good feelings.

Important Note: Individuals with any kind of mental disorder need to be especially careful entering into these experiences as trips can already take a very heavy toll on one’s mental state. Those with any kind of serious mental disorder such as schizophrenia should stay away from psychedelics and any other hallucinogens in general as the experience is simply too risky for them and their mental state.

During the experience, one of the main things a person can do to ensure the trip goes smoothly, is to let the experience flow. A person will need to “let go” of any attempts at controlling the experience as this is the best way to avoid uncomfortable experiences. One should also realise that no matter how uncomfortable the trip might be, it is only a temporary experience and it WILL end.



Setting refers to the environment you’re in during your experience. Similarly to mindset, it also plays a significant role in how the experience will manifest itself. It is imperative that a person plans out their set and setting before a trip.

Often times, the best place to trip is at home in a comfy environment where the tripper will have most control over their surroundings. Your room should be clean and free of anything dangerous such as weapons and chemicals. In addition, the tripper should ensure it is unlikely they will not be disturbed by others during the experience. Some people prefer to trip out in nature which is fine, but it is important to note that the person will have less control over their environment if they’re outside and that the tripping spot should be planned carefully.

They should also ensure they have no responsibilities during the experience and should ideally have none the day after either. It would be irresponsible to trip on Sunday knowing you had to work the day after as you may still feel a bit loopy the day after and perhaps be undergoing sleep deprivation.

Some places are simply not suitable for a heavy psychedelic experience, this includes the workplace, city environments, dirty rooms, abandoned houses, and so on.



Whilst set and setting are the two main branches of ensuring a good trip, your physical body is also a factor to consider for how the trip will go. If you’re injured in some way, physically tired or perhaps even dirty, it is not a good idea to trip. Tripping would result in those symptoms being greatly exaggerated which may result in an uncomfortable experience. It is important to remember that you can always trip another day.



Even when someone follows the steps above, it is still possible that a trip can turn for the worst. There are a number of things a tripper can do to circumvent this.

Changing setting: A simple thing like changing the music, altering the light getting into the room or moving to another room can do a lot to change the vibe of the experience.

Breathe: Breathing exercises can be helpful for managing symptoms of anxiety as it trains your mind to focus on something else. The following link can be very helpful for general anxiety and bad trips: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXItOY0sLRY.

Online help: There are a number of online communities which will gladly help people through a tough experience, the most popular of them all is https://tripsit.me/, feel free to save the link in case you might need it in future.

Anxiolytics: In extreme cases, some people are simply better off abandoning the experience for the sake of avoiding a mentally scarring experience. Benzodiazepines can be very helpful to relax the mind during the experience. It’s important to realise they don’t entirely stop the trip however. Antipsychotics may be taken to completely abort the experience, just be aware the transition from tripping to not tripping at all can be strange.

In addition, a tripper will need to consider if the anxiolytic is safe to take with the substances they’re on. Common psychedelics such as LSD are safe to take with these but if they are on a combination of drugs, they will need to somehow check if the interaction is safe. A good way to do this is ask someone (preferably a member of staff) on tripsit.me.

Note: I still advise people to wait it out a bit before considering aborting the trip as it is possible the bad feelings may pass and something may be learned from it.



For those new to tripping, having a sober tripsitter around is key to safety as they can be very helpful in avoiding a negative experience or doing anything dangerous whilst under the influence. Their role is to essentially be present with the tripper and to help them during the experience if needed.

A tripsitter does not actually need to interfere in the experience, they simply need to keep an eye on the tripper to ensure everything runs smoothly. It can be comforting for the tripper to know that someone is around to help them in anyway they can.

However, when planning for the trip, the person who intends to trip will need to select their tripsitter carefully. Often times, the person will have a number of friends, but not all of them will be okay to be around when tripping. Some friends, whilst perhaps having good intentions, simply aren’t suitable to be around someone who’s having a psychedelic experience. This may be down to their personality or not knowing the tripper well enough.

A tripsitter should be kind, reliable, have a decent understanding of how to tripsit, and ideally have some experience with psychedelics.

- https://wiki.tripsit.me/..._To_Tripsit_In_Real_Life



A major part of tripping is actually the days that follow an experience with an entheogenic substance. Integrating experiences can be important for truly getting some benefits from the experience. Integration is also an effective way to deal with a difficult trip someone had.

It involves reflecting on the experience as a whole, and trying to extrapolate emotions and ideas that were present during the experience to get meaning and learn lessons from it.

Before going any further, remember that not every experience needs to be integrated into your life, some experiences might have been light and for recreation, so there is no need to get caught up trying to find meaning from every single trip you have.

How does someone integrate a trip?

- Instead of returning back to normal life straight away, try to give yourself some alone time out in nature to reflect in peace.

- Meditate on it. Try meditation with the experience still fresh in your mind. It might help to listen to the same music you had playing during your trip.

- Ask fellow psychonauts online and in real life for their opinions on your experience. Try to get multiple opinions to ensure you get a varied perspective.

- Take action and put the lessons into practice. Perhaps the trip showed you something about yourself that you weren’t entirely aware of, if that part of you is not good, don’t be afraid to make changes. Lessons are worth nothing if we don’t put them into practice.

- Don’t do anything impulsive. Sometimes trips can be very strange and we may be told some insane things. It is important to realise that not everything we’re told during these experiences is the objective truth, no matter how much it might seem like it at the time. For any radical things like this, it is important to give it a lot of thought and the insight of others too.

- Avoid tripping again until the experience is fully integrated into your life.

- Don’t chase past experiences. Try to realise that no two trips are the same and that you can’t relive experiences just by taking the same psychedelic again.

Wow quite some work you put together here, brilliant

Glad to help out.

A great guide

Helps pool some of the more pertinent information together. Helps the newer folk.

Good job on this Raptorrr.

Thank you for taking the time to put this together. It's definitely appreciated.

Brilliant, thank you