Recreational drug use is the use of psychoactive drugs for recreational rather than for working or for medical or spiritual purposes, although the distinction is not always clear. Regardless of medical supervision, this label does not apply to the use of drugs for utilitarian purposes, such as the relief of fatigue or insomnia, or the control of appetite.

A distinction must be made between (recreational) drug use and drug abuse, although there is much controversy on where the dividing line lies on the spectrum from a drug user to a drug abuser. Some say that abuse begins when the user begins shirking responsibility in order to afford drugs or to have enough time to use them. Some say it begins when a person uses "excessive" amounts, while others draw the line at the point of legality. Some think that any intoxicant consumption is an inappropriate activity.

History

The recreational use of drugs has existed throughout human history.

The most widespread recreationally used drug used to be alcohol. Beer and wine were produced in Persia and in the Mediterranean before recorded history. Popular theory seems to agree that people first consumed and enjoyed the effect of overripe fruit, which would contain some alcohol. Modern research in the wild has shown this to be the case among many modern animals [1] [2]. Nicotine, the psychoactive constituent of tobacco, was first used by Europeans in the sixteenth century, but was used ritually in the Americas centuries prior. Caffeine has a long history of human consumption as well, and may have overtaken alcohol as the most popular recreational drug. Despite relatively recent proscription as an illegal drug in much of the world, cannabis retains its historical popularity. Cannabis, like alcohol, has been used in many cultures throughout history.

Recreational use of opium (extracted from the immature seed pods of a species of poppy) was once common in Asia, and from there spread to the West. Its use peaked in the nineteenth century, when the British Empire and other Western powers used military power to force China to legalize its importation from India and other British colonies (see Opium Wars). Coca has been chewed by natives and peasants long prior to its refinement into cocaine. Similarly, khat and many other substances have long histories of recreational use.

Many other substances were once commonly used as recreational drugs, but fell from favor for various reasons. Islam forbids the consumption of alcoholic beverages, and many religions discourage the recreational use of drugs. In the 20th century some Western countries, notably the United States, have criminalized the use of many recreational drugs, and used diplomatic, economic and military pressure on other countries to do the same. Thus, for example, the Japanese hemp plant — once widely grown as a source of textile fiber — was wiped out during the American occupation after World War II, and today only survives in a handful of strictly controlled bio-conservation plots.

Legal aspects

In many cases, the possession and use of common recreational drugs violates the law. This attitude is less prevalent in western Europe—see Drug policy of the Netherlands—and more recently in Canada, where enforcement of extant legal penalties for possession of small amounts of marijuana and other so-called "soft drugs" such as hallucinogenic mushrooms is increasingly ignored or given a low priority by law enforcement officials.

This attitude stands in marked contrast to the official policy of the United States government, which declared a "War on Drugs" under President Richard Nixon in 1972 which later intensified under Ronald Reagan, but saw its greatest increases (in budget, and in the number of arrests and prosecutions) under President Bill Clinton. The United States is far more stringent about enforcing penalties for "soft drug" use. The Drug Enforcement Administration, or DEA, is primarily responsible for illegal drug interdiction at the federal level. Despite the application of billions of dollars to eliminate the use of illegal drugs, recreational drug use remains common in the United States, and according to some studies is actually more common than in Europe where the laws are more relaxed. Millions of illicit drug users exist in the United States who have never faced prosecution. Many American police officers don't bother enforcing possession laws on those holding small quanities of soft drugs.

Some theorize that the taboos on recreational drugs adds an aura of mystique to their use, and encourages experimentation (i.e., the "forbidden fruit" phenomenon). This phenomenon was prevalent in the 1920s during the American alcohol prohibition. Also it is argued that the dangers of illicit drugs are widely exaggerated, and actual experimentation can give the user a sense of knowledge of the true dangers of a drugs side effects, and addictive properties.

Many societies have abandoned what they feel are unsuccessful attempts to prohibit recreational drugs, and instead turned to a policy of harm reduction by informing users of ways to reduce common risks associated with popular drugs, and providing medical assistance for drug users who wish to stop using drugs. Harm reduction is the official policy of the Netherlands, Brazil, and some areas of Canada such as Vancouver, which have stopped actively prosecuting end users of recreational drugs. Instead, law enforcement efforts focus on capturing illegal dealers of "hard drugs" such as heroin and cocaine, passing out clean needles to intravenous (IV) drug users, and providing medical assistance for addicted users who wish to stop taking drugs.

Many currently legal recreational drugs (examples: alcohol, tobacco and caffeine) have been subject to prohibition throughout history, and likewise most of the currently illegal recreational drugs have been legal as recently as the early twentieth century.

Drugs popularly used for recreation

The drugs most popular for recreational use worldwide are alcohol, cannabis, caffeine, tobacco, betel nut, and khat.

Other substances often used for recreational purposes follow:

• Anti-impotence drugs such as Sildenafil
• Barbiturates, including:
  • Phenobarbital
  • Pentobarbital
  • Secobarbital
• Benzodiazepines, including:
  • Klonopin (Clonazepam)
  • Valium (Diazepam)
  • Xanax (Alprazolam)
• DXM (Dextromethorphan)
• GHB (Gamma-hydroxybutyrate)
• Kava (Piper methysticum)
• Ketamine (2-(2-chlorophenyl)-2-(methylamino)-cyclohexanone)
• Nitrous oxide
• Opioids, including:
  • Heroin (Diacetylmorphine)
  • Opium (Papaver somniferum)
  • Fentanyl, Hydrocodone, Morphine, Oxycodone, and other prescription painkillers
  • Codeine
• PCP (Phencyclidine)
• Phenethylamines, including:
  • 2C-B (4-bromo-2,5-dimethoxyphenethylamine)
  • 2C-E (4-ethyl-2,5-dimethoxyphenethylamine)
  • 2C-I (4-iodo-2,5-dimethoxyphenethylamine)
  • MDMA (Ecstasy) (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine)
  • MDA (3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine)
  • Mescaline (Peyote and other cactii)
• Salvia
• Stimulants, including:
  • Amphetamines, including:
    • Methamphetamine
    • Methylphenidate (Ritalin)
  • Cocaine (and crack cocaine)
  • Ephedrine (Ephedra)
• Tryptamines, including:
  • AMT (α-methyltryptamine)
  • DMT (Dimethyltryptamine)
  • LSA (e.g. Ololiuqui)
  • LSD (Lysergic acid diethylamide)
  • Psilocybin and Psilocin (Psychedelic mushrooms)
  • Mescaline (Peyote)