Microdosing Research Safety Notice

You can download a PDF version of this guide by clicking here.

Please read the following information carefully.

About Microdosing
As experienced microdosers, you are likely familiar with the nature of this practice, but below are some safety tips and links to informative webs sites. Microdosing involves taking extremely small doses of psychoactive substances, most commonly LSD, psilocybin, and mescaline. Typical microdoses are 1/10th or even less of a normal recreational dose. Very little research has been conducted on microdosing and only anecdotal accounts of effects and side-effects are generally available, making it impossible to describe the effects with certainty.

General Safety When Using Psychedelics
This section is adapted from http://howtousepsychedelics.org/safety/ and describes safety information for typical recreational and therapeutic doses of psychedelic substances.
Safety with psychedelics is important as these are powerful substances. Because of prohibition in many countries, there are often high levels of uncertainty about the sources and contents of psychedelic substances. Caution is very important.

Physical and Mental Health
Psychedelics should only be taken only when you are in good health. Those with psychiatric conditions or heart problems should avoid psychedelics unless specifically discussed with a doctor. Pregnant women should not take psychedelics.

Elements of a Safe Experience
Here are some components of a safe psychedelic experience:

Careful Dosing
It is essential to know the dose of the substance you are taking. Carefully weigh any substance and consult sites like Erowid.org to determine appropriate dose amounts. If you are unsure about the right dose level to begin or if you are feeling anxious, start very small and try more another day. Since LSD typically comes on blotter paper in the form of tabs, try to confirm with your trusted source what the exact dosage is per tab. Very often, one tab is roughly equivalent to 100μg, but it is good to check with your source about exact dosing per tab anyway.

Trustworthy Source
Be sure that you know what you are taking. Only use substances from a trusted source. Only take substances that you are confident are pure and high quality.

Comfortable Setting
Always use psychedelics in a place where you feel comfortable and safe, like your home or a friend’s home. [Note: this is good advice for full doses, but with microdosing, you should feel
free to go about your daily routines once you have established the purity and proper sub-hallucinogenic dosage level for the LSD you’ll be microdosing.]

Guidance
Don’t take a psychedelic for the first time without someone present who has experience with that substance. Make sure this is someone who you trust to help talk you through any stressful or confusing moments. Having trusted support is incredibly helpful for letting you feel safe and open to the experience. In addition, having someone around to help with practical needs (like getting you a glass of water) will let you focus on the process, though this is not to be an expected need with microdosing. Even if you have lots of experience with psychedelics, we recommend having a trusted person present (they don’t need to be in the same room, just on hand).

Responsibility
All substance use is associated with risks. It’s important for you to be aware of the legal and practical safety considerations of microdosing in your locality and to act accordingly. Never drive or operate machinery while under the influence of any full dose of a psychedelic substance. Always conduct appropriate research before taking any substance.

Microdosing Resources
Here are some informative sites on how to microdose safely and effectively:

https://thethirdwave.co/product/microdosing-kit/

Also, In Fadiman’s book The Psychedelic Explorer’s Guide, chapter 15 is dedicated to microdosing.

LSD Testing Kits
Even if you have what you feel is a trusted source, it is always good to test your LSD for purity, just to ensure that it is safe to take. LSD testing kits are readily available online at places like this:

https://dancesafe.org/product/ehrlichs-reagent-testing-kit/
https://www.eztestkits.com/en/lsd-drug-testing-kit?acc=37
https://www.safariland.com/products/forensics/field-drug-tests/nik-drug-tests-and-kits/nik-test-d—lsd-1006152.html#start=1

Know Your Dosage Level
It is important to ask your trusted source of LSD what the expected dosage is per blotter they provide. LSD dosages are measured in micrograms (μg). If they don’t know this, encourage
them to ask their own source for this information so that proper dosing can be ensured as much as possible.

Drug Interactions
Be sure to very carefully research any potential interactions with other prescription or non-prescription medicines or supplements that you are taking. In particular, anti-depressants, SSRIs, SNRIs, serotonin agonists, MAOIs, and anti-psychotic medications are either not safe to take with psychedelics or could dull the effects.

Substance Specific Information
Information on a range of psychoactive substances can be found at:
www.erowid.com
www.tripsafe.org

Legal Information
Information about United States drug laws can be found at:
https://www.dea.gov/druginfo/ds.shtml or https://www.recovery.org/topics/guide-us-drug-laws/
Note that other jurisdictions may differ.

Also, we highly encourage participants who are microdosing with LSD acquired outside of legal parameters to observe safety precautions while participating in this study. These precautions include using a consistent alias while participating in the study; using a newly generated, anonymized email account; and using a secure, IP address obscuring web browser while
interacting with our data collection website, such as Tor browser. We recommend https://protonmail.com/ and https://tutanota.com/ which are based outside of the U.S.A. and its jurisdiction. For other secure email options, please see https://www.lifewire.com/best-secure-email-services-4136763. To download Tor browser, visit https://www.torproject.org/download/download.html.en. It is a good idea to close your browser tab that accesses the study survey platform after each use, to prevent accidental access by others. Additionally, we would prefer a high-quality, low latency form of voice communication like phone for communicating with participants in certain situations (e.g. scheduling orientation sessions and discussing study protocols), but since phone numbers link back to individuals, a more confidential form of communication like Zoom can be used for this purpose instead.

Where to Get Help
For help or advice with any drug or substance related issues you can find help at: https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helplineau or 1-800-662-HELP (4357) (provides free online or telephone counselling for drug related issues 24 hours a day).
For drug or substance related issues internationally please see: http://www.den.org.au/national-international-services
For general help or if you are having thoughts of self-harm please contact Lifeline (available internationally): https://www.lifeline.org.au/About-Lifeline/Lifeline-International/Looking-for-Help/Looking-for-Help

Referrals for Psychiatric Assistance
In the unlikely event that LSD microdosing causes any psychological distress, a list of local psychiatric and psychological referrals and their contact information is included below:

Always call 911 for any emergency-related needs
1. El Camino Hospital, 2500 Grant Rd., Mountain View 94040 (650) 940-7000
2. Sutter Health Urgent Care, 701 East El Camino Real, Mountain View 94040
(650) 934-7800
3. Instant Urgent Care, 3737 El Camino Real, Palo Alto 94306 (650) 250-4898
4. Sutter Urgent Care, 795 El Camino Real, Palo Alto 94301 (650) 853-2958
5. Direct Urgent Care, 1150 W El Camino Real, Mountain View 94040 (650) 695-5008
6. Laurie Goren, Psy.D., licensed psychologist (541) 852-0860
7. Julia Mudarri, LMFT, Campbell, (408) 680-8114
8. Svetlana Kreimer, LMFT, Menlo Park and Campbell, (650) 427-9086
9. Giancarlo Scherillo LMFT, San Francisco, (415) 763 7364
10. Kevin M. Weiland, LMFT, Santa Cruz, (650) 260 – 4302