OK, on request, here is the tl;dr post of the thread (especially considering that this thread is most often read by drunk people) ... I'm copy/pasting this from a message board post in which I responded to the question of how I optimized conditions for psychedelic use. I think I'm fairly confident that people who decide to take psychedelics would do well to at least read this to get a sense of the concerns that should probably be involved. It's by no means a complete guide (there are pages and pages worth of stuff that I would say if I wanted to write something I could call "complete"), but it lays out at least the skeleton of an adequately-prepared-for trip (in my opinion, at least ... plenty of people have taken strong stances considerably more liberal or more conservative than mine in terms of the question of what constitutes "adequate preparation.")
I've seen several successful strategies develop for usage of psychedelics that tend to fit the following criteria:
(1) Accessible to people beyond the current psychedelic subculture
(2) Conducive to personal enjoyment
(3) Provides safety net for anyone having an unpleasant experience
(4) Offers a setting ready to respond positively to self-expression
I feel as if, in the context of "recreational" psychedelics usage (which I think is going to be the status quo until there is a lawful and structured system by which they can be explored), these are the four things that really need to be present. An informal, recreational setting that provides each of these four things is probably as close as any average person is going to come right now to an optimal setting (optimal dosage and set are of course personal responsibility).
I was personally introduced to psychedelics in a large group setting ... generally about 20-30 people together with ~30-50% on varying doses of psychedelics (higher ratios are possible as the experience level of the group as a whole increases and/or the size of the group decreases). I've done this quite a few times now and I feel as if it works pretty well given a few guidelines:
1. Stress the ground rules to trippers (fire burns, cars are real, you cannot fly, trust your companions)
2. Do something that's fun in and of itself (my favorite large-group tripping activities are group art projects and a visit to the zoo, partially because they're both good for first-time users)
3. Sober people need to be acutely mindful of trippers (a buddy system has too much going for it to not be used, I'd consider it a requirement).
The large-group scenario is rare, though, at least among people who don't already regularly engage in drug use (and furthermore, mixing people who use lots of drugs with people who don't sometimes leads to false impressions of drug use itself among those less experienced). So it's much more likely that a small-group scenario will be the best fit for a new psychedelic explorer.
Small-group guidelines:
1. HIGH level of trust among all members of the group (essential!)
2. At least one sober and responsible friend who knows they're the go-to person and is OK with that (essential in first-time scenarios!)
3. At least one significantly experienced person present (tripping or not) if possible
4. More than one tripper (so that trippers have someone to relate to within the context of their altered state).
5. Stay away from crowds and strangers.
6. Have what I would call "friendly resources" ... familiar and well-liked music (The Beatles being a great default go-to in my opinion), thought-provoking works of art, film, or music to contemplate, physically comfortable places to hang out in, familiar environments if outdoors, etc. Basically, try to prepare an array of options that can be relied upon to provide enjoyment.
The idea behind these guidelines, in both scenarios, are to provide a safety net while encouraging as wide a variety of opportunities for beneficial experiences as possible. Something as simple as listening to an exceptionally good album or climbing a tree can be a powerfully affecting experience. Say what you like about the "genuine benefit" of psychedelic experiences, but there's no arguing that if you've already made the decision to take psychedelics, you're best off encouraging opportunities for fascination, enthusiasm, and wonder.
The last first-time scenario is the solo trip, which is really only a good idea in exceptional cases. A solo trip is OK given the following:
1. The solo first-timer can avoid contact with anyone who doesn't already know that they're tripping (and WHY, which is of huge importance in any solo trip in my opinion).
2. The first-timer already is VERY familiar with the surroundings in which they'll trip (perhaps a rural setting they've lived in or extensively explored before)
3. The intention for the trip is VERY well-defined. This is clearly a very personal thing and I can't exactly prescribe guidelines for it.
Basically, there's a spectrum of what characterizes a good opportunity for first-time experience. On one side, freedom and spontaneity is maximized, social interaction is encouraged, and introspective experience is to a certain extent expected (we are talking about psychedelic experience after all) and people are prepared for it, but it not necessarily part of the intention. This is best expressed in the large-group scenario and it's probably best characterized as the extroverted option. On the other side of the spectrum, the experience has a much more strongly defined intention, social interaction is probably kept to a minimum (to reduce distractions), and the introverted aspects of psychedelic experience are stressed. This is obviously best seen in the solo-trip scenario.
Some final overall guidelines that apply more or less universally:
1. Set intention FIRST. Whether it is the intention to join the group and have a good time, and explore what comes, or it's the intention to specifically and deliberately explore oneself or a certain aspect of oneself, the intention needs to be there. Taking psychedelics because of boredom is simply never a good idea.
2. Avoid authority figures in general. This obviously goes beyond just the cops. If you have to go home to your parents when you're done tripping and pretend it didn't happen, DON'T TRIP. Self-reliance is really important.
3. First-timers should never take more than 2-3 grams of mushrooms or 1 hit of acid. Always use less than a "standard dose" the first time, at least insofar as a "standard dose" is what an experienced user of psychedelics would "routinely" use. (I understand that there is really no "routine" to psychedelic usage but I'm sure you get what I'm trying to say.)
Well, if you're interested, there it is. As I'm sure you've gathered, this is something I think about quite often and take quite seriously. It would feel weird to hijack the drunk thread and turn it into Serious Discussion About Drugs, although if that's what happens I'll go with the flow. I'll see how that pans out, maybe a new thread is in the works if people are enthusiastic about discussing this.