Today, as mentioned above, recreational use rates are sitting at around 1% of American teens and adults. And simultaneously, legislators around the world are considering legalizing MDMA for medicinal use, including the FDA. Canada and Australia have already passed legislation allowing for MDMA use for mental health treatment.
The initial effects begin about 30 to 45 minutes after taking the drug, though this can vary depending on the form like a powder or pill, and whether it’s taken on an empty stomach. The peak effects occur between an hour to two hours after ingestion, characterized by the most intense feelings of euphoria and energy. “Smoking cannabis on LSD seems to potentiate the effects of both, so you end up with a sort of stronger effect of both substances,” said Gomez.
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SSRIs seem to have a similar effect, though the research is also very limited. In a 1996 survey, 28 out of 32 people who took SSRIs and LSD experienced “subjective decrease or virtual elimination” of the trippy effects. It’s theorized that the reason for this cross-tolerance could be that LSD and drugs like Zoloft are influencing the same serotonin receptors in the brain, although in slightly different ways. The competition can diminish the effects of the acid, but it may work differently for other antidepressants. Tripping on acid can be one of the most profound experiences in some people’s lives.
Unfortunately, the way these drugs interact with one another produces different interactions than when they’re used separately, increasing the risk of dangerous complications. Soon after taking Ecstasy, an individual experiences an increased risk of dehydration, hyperthermia and electrolyte imbalance, which can be dangerous. With prolonged use, the individual can develop memory problems, cognitive impairment, mood disorders and brain damage.
- For example, a hallucinogenic drug called 25I-NBOMe is often sold on blotter paper, resembling LSD.
- Ultimately, using multiple drugs at once (known as polysubstance use) is fairly common — however, that doesn’t make it safe.
- While we eagerly wait to see the results of new research into cannabis and psychedelics, and their combinations and interactions, caution is advised.
However, we believe in providing accessible and accurate information to reduce the harm that can occur when using. Mixing the two can be overstimulating, which might cause anxiety or panic. Adding coke to LSD reportedly kills the pleasurable, trippy aspects of acid, or makes the experience “weird,” so some people avoid it. From that same survey, users who took lithium, a different class of antidepressant, also had more intense trips from LSD, but they weren’t pleasant. In the ‘60s, doctors giving people doses of two different psychedelics wasn’t unheard of, before ethical standards in science made institutional review boards unlikely to approve such research.
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Laws regarding medical and recreational marijuana use differ from state to state. Before using marijuana for any purpose, an individual should be sure to understand their local laws, as well as the fines and jail time that may result from illegal use. THC, the colloquial term for tetrahydrocannabinol and one of the primary cannabinoids in marijuana, enters the bloodstream after consumption, either through the lungs or the stomach. Unlike THC, CBD doesn’t cause a high, but it interacts with the body’s neuroreceptors.
So can MDMA and weed be used together safely?
- It can also make an LSD trip feel longer and more intense, which isn’t always a good thing.
- This classic recipe combines ginger ale with cherry THC (instead of grenadine), which is topped with a maraschino cherry for a true nostalgic feel.
- They found that it could be used in sessions to promote trust and safety, helping patients to open up and process traumatic experiences.
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Bottom line on MDMA and cannabis
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THC and MDMA enhance each other’s effects, but the results are inconsistent. Some people experience a heightened sense of euphoria while others have an altered perception of reality. Both substances negatively impact cognitive functioning, impairing the individual’s ability to think clearly and remember events that took place while under the influence of these drugs. The combination can also lead to increased psychological side effects, including paranoia and anxiety. MDMA metabolism primarily involves CYP2D6, which converts MDMA into its active metabolite, 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA), and subsequent breakdown products. Genetic polymorphisms in CYP2D6 create a spectrum of metabolic rates, from ultra-rapid to poor metabolizers.
It is important to note that MDMA, especially in high doses, may be hazardous to some people and has been linked to fatalities. These fatalities are often attributed to overheating, dehydration, or even over-consumption of water, and not necessarily due to an overdose of MDMA alone. Ecstasy is generally taken in capsule or tablet form and may begin to take effect within 45 minutes. The effects tend to wear off almost as quickly as they started, with many people feeling the high fade within a few hours. MDMA, more commonly referred to as ecstasy or Molly, is a synthetic drug that is both a stimulant and a hallucinogen. Inside the chemical name is “amphetamine,” as MDMA belongs to this class of drugs known as central nervous system stimulants.
Effects of Ecstasy (MDMA/Molly) Use
For example, in 1964 a researcher named Oscar Resnick at the Worcester Foundation for Experimental Biology in Massachusetts gave four men a small dose of LSD, between 40 and 75 micrograms. This combo is often sought at raves, with users attempting to get both drugs to “peak” at the same time, usually by taking the MDMA several hours after the LSD kicks in, as they both have different zeniths. There’s limited hard data on LSD and MDMA combos—or any other drug mixed with acid – because research for this mixing molly and weed kind of thing is extremely expensive and the ethics can be sticky. We have tried combining cannabis with psilocybin, LSD, DMT, ketamine, and MDMA. We can safely say that it increases the intensity of all the psychedelics listed above. It’s hard to quantify which substance it affects the most; however, based on our experiences, the natural substances are more impacted (i.e. psilocybin and DMT).
This unique class of antidepressant reportedly made some LSD trips more potent, not less. Users reported “more psychic energy” and “somatic distortion” from the combo, with livelier, perkier, and more elaborated hallucinations, such as seeing the sunrise for over an hour in the middle of the night. Some of these same users reported that after they stopped taking drugs like desipramine or clomipramine, their LSD trips weren’t as strong. Minor cannabinoids such as cannabinol (CBN) and cannabigerol (CBG) contribute to cannabis’s overall effects. CBN, a THC degradation product, has mild sedative properties and weak CB1 affinity, while CBG interacts with both CB1 and CB2, potentially modulating THC’s effects. Variations in cannabinoid composition influence the subjective and physiological responses to concurrent MDMA use.
When coming down from a trip, some people might want something to take the edge off. So it’s not uncommon to mix LSD with depressant drugs such as alcohol or benzodiazepines like Xanax, that slow down the nervous system. The metabolism of cannabis and MDMA is influenced by genetic variations in key enzyme systems, leading to differences in drug effects, duration, and potential toxicity. Cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes play a central role in metabolizing cannabinoids, particularly CYP2C9 and CYP3A4 for THC, and CYP2C19 for CBD. Genetic polymorphisms affecting these enzymes can alter cannabinoid breakdown, influencing physiological and psychoactive effects. For example, individuals with reduced CYP2C9 activity may have prolonged THC exposure, intensifying its interaction with MDMA.
It’s also worth noting that “regular use” of cannabis and MDMA can mean different things. A “regular” MDMA consumer – recreational or medicinal – is likely to take MDMA once/week to once every few months, whereas cannabis users are more likely to consume multiple times per day. Mixing MDMA and weed is not advisable due to the potential negative drug interactions. They tend to have a lack of awareness of the situation, and it leads to potential overdosages of both of these, especially ecstasy. This can cause you to have too much, and it can cause fatal conditions in people.
Jimmy Nguyen, co-founder of Psychedelic Passage, holds a BSBA and MBA from the University of Denver and is a leading advocate for harm reduction in the psychedelic space. Through Psychedelic Passage, he connects individuals with trusted facilitators to ensure safe, intentional psychedelic experiences, emphasizing preparation, integration, and equitable access. His work challenges systemic inequalities in psychedelic-assisted healing, combining personal and clinical approaches to prioritize safety, accessibility, and cultural sensitivity.
While serotonin is the primary target, MDMA also increases dopamine and norepinephrine levels. Its interaction with the dopamine transporter (DAT) results in moderate dopamine release, distinguishing it from more potent stimulants like methamphetamine. Norepinephrine release via the norepinephrine transporter (NET) contributes to heightened arousal, increased heart rate, and elevated blood pressure. However, it only started to get attention in the 1970s, when therapists began using it to treat PTSD, anxiety and addiction.
Each cannabis strain has its unique profile of these compounds, which is why different varieties can produce varying effects. The concentration of THC in marijuana has generally increased over the years through selective breeding, with modern strains often containing 15-25% THC or higher, compared to 3-4% in the 1970s. This increase in intensity highlights the need to recognize the symptoms and signs of marijuana addiction and to find professional treatment.