Choose Your Experience
Everyone’s experience is unique. If you choose to use, check yourself first.
Begin the experience
Plan your trip
Before
01
Tell someone you trust about the substance you’re taking and ask them to check in on you after a few hours.
02
Try to determine in advance how much you plan to use.
03
Be sure to eat a few hours before consuming.
04
Try to get some rest. If you didn’t sleep well last night, or if this is your third party in a row, the drugs can hit harder, and the effects may be unexpected and potentially unpleasant.
05
Plan your return. How will you get back? Who’s with you? Where will you sleep? Do you have enough money for a cab? Is your phone charged enough to find a way home?
06
Make sure to have naloxone on hand. Learn how to use it and make sure your group of friends knows how to administer it:
https://www.quebec.ca/en/health/advice-and-prevention/alcohol-drugs-gambling/rescuing-a-person-from-a-possible-opioid-overdose
07
Have any substances from the unregulated market analyzed. If it’s available near you, use a drug-checking service. It’s free and confidential.
during
01
Try to stay continuously hydrated before, during and after the event with water and/or electrolyte drinks.
02
Remember to cut your dose: start with a smaller amount and wait until you feel the effects of the substance before taking more.
03
Mixing substances can be highly unpredictable and carries increased risks. For example, MDMA can mask the effects of alcohol, leading to potentially dangerous situations. If you do choose to mix substances, consider reducing the quantities and taking them one at a time to minimize risks.
04
If you’re feeling unwell, talk to someone you trust.
After
01
Try to set aside time to rest and take care of yourself.
02
Eat well and stay hydrated with water and/or electrolyte drinks.
03
Ask yourself questions related to your experience. What did you like or dislike? What would you do differently?
04
Have your substance analyzed (if the service is available in your area) if the effects you experienced weren’t what you wanted. It may have contained unexpected molecules.
05
Don’t hesitate to talk about your experience with a professional or people you trust, even if it went really well!
the law
of effect
The effects experienced depend on a combination of factors linked to the substance, the individual and the setting.
The Substance
#1
Substance-specific characteristics that may have an impact on the effects experienced include:
- Quantity consumed
- Substance composition (presence of cutting agents, % psychoactive agents such as % alcohol or % THC, etc.)
- Rate of consumption (e.g. one beer per hour for five hours or five shots in five minutes)
- Mode of consumption (ingested, injected, smoked, inhaled, snorted, etc.)
- Mixing substances
The Individual
#2
Individual-specific characteristics that may have an impact on the effects experienced include:
- Age
- Genetics
- Height and weight
- Physical conditions (fatigue, chronic health problems, infections, dehydration, hunger, etc.)
- State of mind, psychological state or mood
- Substance tolerance
- Expectations around the drug and past experiences
The Setting
#3
Setting-specific characteristics that can have an impact on the effects experienced include:
- Location (basement of family home, bar, campsite, festival, on a boat, etc.)
- Atmosphere (relaxed, stressful, noisy, etc.)
- Time of day or week (morning before school, evening after work, afternoon, weekend, etc.)
- Relationships with others (conflictual relationships, presence of strangers, trusted friends, etc.)
- Sense of security
- Laws and regulations in place (presence of security guards for entry searches and illegality of use)
- Endroit (dans le sous-sol de la maison familiale, dans un bar, en camping, dans un festival, etc.)
- Ambiance (décontractée, stressante, bruyante, etc.)
