Club Drugs

Club drugs are a loosely defined group of very diverse drugs that are used recreationally at nightclubs, dance parties, bars, and concerts. The four specific drugs that are categorized as club drugs by the U.S. Office of National Drug Control Policy are MDMA (Ecstasy), GHB (gamma hydroxybutyrate), Rohypnol, and ketamine. Used primarily by teenagers and young adults, these drugs have become fashionable due to their relatively low cost and perceived safety, and their ability to promote sociability, lower inhibitions, produce tranquility, and increase energy.

As club drugs exploded in popularity during the 1990s, concern about their use and potential adverse effects became highly publicized in the media. Because these drugs are associated with all-night dance parties known as raves, drug prohibitionists in the United States pressed ...