The Shulgin Rating Scale is a scale for reporting
the subjective effect of
psychoactive
substances at a given dosage, and at a given time.
The system was developed for research purposes by
Alexander Shulgin
and detailed in his book
PiHKAL (Phenethylamines
I Have Known And Loved: A Chemical Love Story).
It
typically includes four components: an
identification of the chemical being ingested; a
dosage; and a descriptive narrative including the
ratings themselves used to describe various moments
in time.
The rating itself gives a comparable value relating
to the subjective intensity of the experience,
including auditory, visual, emotional, mental,
physical and other sensory effects. The narrative
may include various Shulgin ratings, noting the time
to achieve various levels, for instance, when
describing 2CT-2 in PiHKAL (page 560) he reports:
"(with 22 mg) A slow onset. It took an hour for
a plus one, and almost another two hours to get to a
+++. Very vivid fantasy images, eyes closed, but no
blurring of lines between "reality" and fantasy.
Some yellow-grey patterns a la psilocybin. Acute
diarrhea at about the fourth hour but no other
obvious physical problems. Erotic lovely. Good
material for unknown number of possible uses. Can
explore for a long time. Better try 20 milligrams
next time."
PLUS / MINUS (+/-)
The level of effectiveness of a drug that indicates
a threshold action. If a higher dosage produces a
greater response, then the plus/minus (+/-) was
valid. If a higher dosage produces nothing, then
this was a false positive.
PLUS ONE (+)
The drug is quite certainly active. The chronology
can be determined with some accuracy, but the nature
of the drug's effects are not yet apparent.
PLUS TWO (++)
Both the chronology and the nature of the action of
a drug are unmistakably apparent. But you still have
some choice as to whether you will accept the
adventure, or rather just continue with your
ordinary day's plans (if you are an experienced
researcher, that is). The effects can be allowed a
predominant role, or they may be repressed and made
secondary to other chosen activities.
PLUS THREE (+++)
Not only are the chronology and the nature of a
drug's action quite clear, but ignoring its action
is no longer an option. The subject is totally
engaged in the experience, for better or worse.
PLUS FOUR (++++)
A rare and precious transcendental state, which has
been called a 'peak experience', a 'religious
experience,' 'divine transformation,' a 'state of
Samadhi' and many other names in other cultures. It
is not connected to the +1, +2, and +3 of the
measuring of a drug's intensity. It is a state of
bliss, a participation mystique, a connectedness
with both the interior and exterior universes, which
has come about after the ingestion of a psychedelic
drug, but which is not necessarily repeatable with a
subsequent ingestion of that same drug. If a drug
(or technique or process) were ever to be discovered
which would consistently produce a plus four
experience in all human beings, it is conceivable
that it would signal the ultimate evolution, and
perhaps the end of, the human experiment.
