2C-B-FLY, Ann Shulgin’s Favourite Molecule

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Introduction

2C-B-FLY is a molecule derived from 2C-B which itself is a derivative of mescaline.

Today I am going to talk to you about a molecule which means a lot to me.

I have several hundred psychedelic trips behind me, including nearly fifty trips with this molecule.

I’ve tried microdosing as well, as well as using it in blends and high doses (40mg+).

Although the majority of 2C-X were discovered and synthesized by Alexander Shulgin, 2C-B-FLY was discovered by Aaron P. Monte in 1996. The name “FLY” (2C-B-Fly) was inspired by the two dihydrofuran rings that run opposite the sides of the benzene ring.

Effects of 2C-B-FLY

2C-B-Fly is a molecule allowing psychedelic exploration while being rather soft and easy to control. The average duration of 8 to 10 hours seems perfect for the effects it triggers. The bodyload (the physical sensations) are quite strong, opinions are divided into those who find these effects heavy to bear, and those like Ann Shulgin and myself, who love the physical sensations of this molecule and who appreciate those little tingles the molecule provides everywhere in the body.

The visuals are generally very soft at the classic doses ( 10 to 20 mg ), we keep a surprisingly clear mindset and there is a whole erotic and empathic side relatively similar to MDMA and 2CB.

Ann Shulgin herself enjoyed this molecule particularly for its empathic and erotic aspects.

So? The effects of 2C-B-FLY have been described as being quite similar to those of 2C-B. It is slightly psychedelic, much less so than mushrooms or LSD for example, and is much less empathogenically oriented than MDMA.

2C-B-FLY includes visual effects with eyes open, which are generally described as wavering, transforming. Closed-eye visuals (CEVs) are present and increase with dose. In addition, vivid mental images or visions (as opposed to visuals) may be experienced with the eyes closed.

As stated in the introduction, 2C-B-fly has a strong bodyload that some describe as a rather pleasant buzz throughout the body. In general, 2C-B-Fly has a euphoric effect as well as a slight stimulating effect, however, a feeling of lethargy has also been reported and is notably more present at the end of the experience. It is possible that some may experience stomach upset, including mild diarrhea, gas and nausea. To avoid this it may be wise to eat a banana before the trip, and that the last meal was several hours ago and is easy to digest.

Some people feel that 2C-B-Fly increases their ability to communicate verbally, while others find themselves unable to express their thoughts clearly and experience confusion (cannabis can play a big part in this) and intense feelings. For most who have tested, the effects of 2C-B-Fly come in waves, and are cyclical: one can feel very involved in the experience or feel quite “sober”. These changes can be unexpected and can happen very quickly.

Dosage of 2C-B-FLY

The effects of 2C-B-FLY can be felt as early as 5mg, but the classic dose is between 10 and 20 mg. It is important to practice risk reduction and start with the lowest dosages.

With 10 mg, we are dealing with an experience without too many visuals, with a lot of colors, offering a certain body heat and being able to be managed by the majority of people. A novice user will perhaps prefer 5 or 7 mg to really take the time to get used to this substance.

On the other hand, this molecule can be surprising from 15 mg. Indeed, at this dosage it is already less compassionate, and as you get higher, it becomes darker and deeper (so to speak?). In fact, it’s as if the 10 and 20 mg range was adapted to those looking for a relatively recreational trip (as it’s quite joyful and pleasant) giving nevertheless a possibility to dive into introspection.

When you go beyond 20 mg, the effects start to resemble those of its cousin 2C-E, which is for Shulgin, the ideal molecule to confront your own demons.

For my part, once I had exceeded 30 mg of 2C-B-FLY. I still remember at one point in the trip, being terrified of my little dog, when he opened his mouth. I literally had the impression that he had a crocodile’s mouth and I found myself in my room, door locked, trying to reason with myself for a good 5 minutes.

It is therefore important to remember that at reasonable doses the molecule is well suited for recreation. I have seen many people laughing for no reason on 2C-B-FLY!

Moreover, if it exists, we still don’t know the lethal dose of this molecule. As a little anecdote, a friend of mine mistakenly took an unpremeditated high dose of 2C-B-FLY. The experience he had was nothing like the ones I had in the 30-40mg range. He was first overwhelmed with lots of color and then found himself astral traveling to past lives far away. His return to reality was not easy at all and his experience was very scary. This is why I insist on really taking your time with the molecule. This is exactly what the late Ann Shulgin, who died in 2022, did, co-authoring TIHKAL and PIHKALwith her husband, Alexander Shulgin, who is the godfather of the vast majority of psychedelics discovered in the 80s and 90s.

What Molecules are Similar to 2C-B-Fly

We will speak here mainly about the family of the phenethylamines.

Surprisingly, 2C-B-FLY is very similar to molecules like MDMA or 5-MAPB. It has a capacity empathogenic well with him which does not have the same mechanism of action, because weaker than the molecules releasing serotonin. It is nevertheless “warmer” and more compassionate than 2C-B. It could be seen as a kind of 2C-B which lasts longer, which offers a clearer and calmer mindset, and which is more focused on physical sensations than on visuals after all.

At high doses you can start to compare it to Mescaline and 2C-E, which are still considered strong molecules. These molecules have the potential to turn you upside down because it gives the possibility to dive in the darkest confines of its mind. And it is in that that 2C-B-FLY differs. Indeed, although it gives access to this particular relation between its part of Shadow and oneself, we manage to keep our feet on the ground thanks to a mindset that leaves us in control of what happens, unlike molecules like mushrooms or LSD that can completely overwhelm us.

Combinations With 2C-B-FLY

(PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, NOT RECOMMENDATIONS)

2C-B-Fly has synergistic effects with multiple chemicals. But it is advised to avoid combinin with other empathogens – (MDMA, 6-APB, MDA, 5-MAPB, 3-MMC), the 2C-B-FLY is suspected to act as an MAOI, and it is thus necessary to avoid any mixture with molecules releasing serotonin.

(Warning: risk of serotonin syndrome)

I have previously combined it with cannabis, laughing gas N2O, LSD and Mescaline – in the form of San Pedro Cactus.

N2O

With only 10 mg of 2C-B-FLY, one balloon of N20 caused me to completely take off, for 5 minutes I was in a state of  intense bodyload, all the effects of 2C-B-FLY were tenfold,.

Cannabis

Cannabis can be surprising if taken at the wrong time, once only under 10mg, after smoking a large joint at the very beginning of the climb, I found myself in a rather unpleasant state where I had visuals of a snake trying to bite its own tail all the time, lucky it was only 10mg, I probably would have had a lot more trouble with a bigger dose.

Otherwise I always mixed the cannabis with 2C-B-FLY I was just waiting for the first 3-4 hours of the high and the beginning of the plateau to pass, that I felt I had some stability with going further. The effect is boosted but will depend a lot on your strain of cannabis, depending on if you want to dance to the music until you are exhausted looking for euphoria or ecstasy, or on the contrary lie down in your comforter in the dark to melt into the experience.

It is a very practical molecule for exploring the arts, I found myself writing poetry and lyrics for hours inspired by a single 10mg dose. Spending the day in a park or a forest is easy to manage with the small doses. You can really lose yourself in the appreciation of life like a child smiling at the reflection of sunlight on a puddle.

On the other hand maybe you want to lie down and be in your quiet cocoon watching the visuals and sensations go by, with your eyes closed it is even possible to go quite far in introspection, and to go and look in your subconscious for the answers to our questions.

Mescaline

With Mescaline, I had the impression to add to something very deep old, something new, colored, vibrant, as if I had made an old man laugh and showing him a child who makes faces, this mixture is anachronistic, a strange marriage out of time.

LSD

The mixture with the LSD was very interesting, the first times I added 25 to 50 ug just before taking the 2C-B-FLY at an average dosage of 10 mg. Surprisingly LSD will give the visuals a touch of precision, as if the world was cut with a razor, everything is precise, sharp, the mindset also goes much further. This mixture allows to reach the deep and a bit chaotic psychedelism of the acid, while remaining quite stable with the 2C-B-FLY which gives us this empathy to dive quietly.

After that, I may have gone a bit too far, once when I mixed 150ug of acid with 30 mg of 2C-B-FLY, I must admit that the bodyload was much too powerful for me, I had the impression that if I dived into the rabbit hole, all the atoms that compose my body would shatter. We really shouldn’t underestimate these molecules that can send us very far, it’s up to us to prepare our mindset well before the trip to be able to explore what we want, or rather what we need.

Usage of 2C-B-Fly

As with any molecule, 2C-B-FLY requires adequate set and setting, the ideal would be to have a complete day to trip and a day to rest.

The 2C-B-FLY climbs quite nicely, doing yoga and meditation before and during the climb can help to better settle into the plateau which is the bulk of the experience.

Taking notes during the trip can be interesting because the lightning ideas that surprise us in the middle of the trip have the annoying tendency to disappear.

Meditation is easy to engage in under the effects of 2C-B-FLY, and as we often hear that psychedelics replace years of therapy, meditating under trip is for me like meditating for a very long time in experiences of epiphanies and deep realization.

For me holotropic breathing can be very interesting under Trip, and especially because 2C-B-FLY is empathic enough to feel very deep movements during the holotropic breathing state, and the molecule remains psychedelic enough to induce very deep states of consciousness at doses of sometimes just 10 to 15 mg of 2C-B-FLY, it is important to know that although the dose is an important variable in the triangle of dose, set & setting, it is not everything. The idea that I have developed throughout the experience is that it is better to use effectively a low or medium dose that we can easily master and with which we can combine meditations, breathing techniques, and artistic or intellectual letting go, than a too high dose that scotches us and gives us in the end heavy experiences to integrate without us having necessarily developed enough in parallel the capacities that allow us to move in these psychedelic universes and dimensions that open up to us.

2C-B-FLY, a molecule for beginners?

Although dosages over 25mg are hefty and require some experience as a psychedelic psychonaut. However, the more traditional 10 mg dose is much more manageable, I have never seen anyone have a difficult experience, some of my relatives had no other substance experience other than alcohol and cannabis, however it is important to do it under the right circumstances to have a fulfilling experience and not a stressful one.

When discovering psychedelics, one quickly discovers LSD and mushrooms, but these molecules can be disorienting and frightening even at fairly low doses. This makes it difficult for a novice to feel confident in discovering this psychedelic universe that seems to hide so many mysteries and truths, especially for those who have discovered it alone, sometimes with no one to watch over them while tripping.

The 2C-B-Fly meanwhile can give us a hint of flavor at only 5 mg, without at all confronting the user with feelings and sensations that are too complex and deep. The classic dose of 10 mg is easy to manage, this molecule at low doses is much more recreational than mushrooms or LSD. But don’t be fooled by its apparent cuteness, those who underestimated 2C-B-FLY and directly consumed 20mg doses did not always find the experience easy.

Nuit| Community Blogger at Chemical Collective

Nuit is one of our community bloggers here at Chemical Collective. If you’re interested in joining our blogging team and getting paid to write about subjects you’re passionate about, please reach out to David via email at blog@chemical-collective.com