A Weedy Substitute
CP 55,940
Citation:   Delawhere. "A Weedy Substitute: An Experience with CP 55,940 (exp79241)". Erowid.org. Jul 21, 2009. erowid.org/exp/79241

 
DOSE:
1 mg smoked CP 55,940 (powder / crystals)
BODY WEIGHT: 175 lb
As a synthetic cannabinoid, I find the effects of CP 55,940 to be similar to cannabis, but not the same, although I’d suggest that the significance of that point is not particularly noteworthy given that differences in effects are widely noted between different strains of the cannabis plant itself. For the purposes of simplifying this report, I’ve made all remarks in the context of a comparison between these two substances, and left out a detailed description of the basic effects that they share. Obviously a reader would benefit from prior experience in this regard, but I suspect few people would arrive at trying CP 55,940, having never tried cannabis.

I have only explored this chemical at vapourized doses of less than 1 mg and have had roughly 15 trials to date. Typically, I load a glass pipe with two to three milligrams at a time, and use this amount over various sessions spread apart by several days, leaving the unused portion melted inside the pipe for the next session. The pipe is gently heated from below with an indirect flame, and the chemical vapour is inhaled. The taste is almost undetectable, but very slightly bitter. I would estimate I use 0.25 mg as a minimum, and certainly never more than a milligram. I find doses higher than that to be debilitating, and leave me feeling groggy and scattered the following day. More on that later in this report.

I was inspired to try CP 55,940 after having given up cannabis smoking due to frequent anxiety effects. I was curious to see whether a single cannabinoid could provide a comparable experience without the anxiety. I tried CP 55,940 after having been away from cannabis for about 3 months, and I found the chemical did indeed provide a similar experience without the anxiety. After several successful trial sessions, I returned to cannabis, and found my anxiety problems had diminished. It is impossible to tell whether the pharmacological properties of CP 55,940 had anything whatsoever to do with this, or whether the entire situation was merely placebo effects at work. In any case, I am able to smoke cannabis again, but having been away from it for some time I no longer have a desire to do so.

In terms of notable differences between CP 55,940 and a typical cannabis strain, there are a few I can pinpoint. I find CP 55,940 leaves me slightly more dissociated and intermittently confused. However, having said this, at times I have found myself able to focus on a given task to a degree that I could not typically do on cannabis. For instance, my ability to watch a movie on cannabis is poor due to constant mental distraction. Reading a book is impossible. On CP 55,940 however, I have been able to watch movies with occasional success, and even read a book at low doses. Admittedly, these effects seem to contradict one another, the first being a very general, subjective feeling, and the latter being somewhat more measurable.

One particular aspect of CP 55,940 that differs significantly for me in comparison to cannabis is the longer duration of effects. However, since the effects of this chemical, much like cannabis, tend to drop off linearly, slowly and almost imperceptibly, it has been difficult for me to assess the typical duration. This is further compounded by the fact that I often use CP 55,940 in the evenings, and retire prior to returning to baseline. One thing can be said however; the effects do last significantly longer and I would suggest duration is somewhat dose dependent. I have woken up 6-7 hours after using CP 55,940 still feeling minor effects after a high dose (~1 mg).

I find the chemical to be moderately sedating, but again, since I typically use it closer to bed time, I haven’t isolated this property very well. Upon retiring, I feel dreamy and relaxed in bed and have used it effectively as a sleep aid, slightly more effective for this purpose than a typical cannabis strain. Like cannabis, I also find it to be an effective sex aid, making orgasms longer and more pleasurable.

In terms of negative effects, I experience some residual effects that linger well into the next day from the previous evening. I tend to wake, up to ten hours after dosing, much groggier and addle-headed than I would be under more sober circumstances. Mornings after using CP 55,940 I find myself scattered, and less able to focus and carry out complex tasks. The strength of this effect is directly influenced by the dose taken and subsides throughout the day.

At risk of sounding didactic, I want to comment on the chemical stability of CP 55,940. These are only my personal findings, so take it for what it is worth (not a lot). There has been much discussion regarding the chemical stability of CP 55,940, with many entries on the internet suggesting it is unstable and subject to rapid degradation. However, nowhere have I seen these statements supported with any scientific or non-scientific observation or evidence. The statements I have seen appear to be mere suppositions by laypersons that have propagated through board discussions and a certain internet library. I had the good fortune of speaking first hand with a chemist who spent many years in cannabinoid research and development, and he wasn’t aware of any unusual stability issues, in that, with proper storage he suggested it should be quite stable and last many years. He suggested that a dry, air tight vessel kept in a cool, dark place should suffice in preserving its nature.

In summary, I found this chemical to have useful properties, as an effective sleep aid, and to have recreational uses equivalent to cannabis. Based only on my personal and limited trials, I’m left wondering if CP 55,940 might provide an alternative to persons subject to cannabis-induced anxiety. Perhaps more study in this regard would be worthwhile. Since dosing for CP 55,940 is very low in comparison to cannabis, I suspect there may be associated benefits in inhaling less material, particularly when comparing vapourized CP 55,940 to smoked cannabis. An added beneficial side effect of this quality is that vapourizing CP 55,940 can be done quite simply with a lighter and a glass pipe, in stark contrast to the vaporizer unit generally used for vaporizing cannabis effectively.

Now, if only we had a street name. CP 55,940 is so cumbersome to say, particularly after using it. I’ve used “Ceep”, “55” and “CP”, but these just don’t seem to cut it. Thoughts anyone?

[Reported Dose: 0.25 to 1 mg]

Exp Year: 2009ExpID: 79241
Gender: Male 
Age at time of experience: Not Given
Published: Jul 21, 2009Views: 22,018
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CP 55,940 (471) : Various (28), Retrospective / Summary (11)

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