Substance use & misuse
January 1, 2005
Jill A Mccaughan, Robert G Carlson, Russel S Falck et al.
43 citations
Young people who attend raves and use ecstasy are not a uniform group. Based on focus groups, interviews with 36 current and former ecstasy users aged 19–31 in central Ohio, and participant observation, five main subgroups were identified: Chemi-Kids, Candy Kids, non-affiliated Party Kids, Junglists, and Old School Ravers. These groups differ in musical taste, philosophy, clothing, time in the subculture, and drug use patterns. For instance, ecstasy use is most common among Candy Kids, while Junglists tend to use more ketamine and methamphetamine. Alcohol, cocaine, marijuana, and hallucinogens are also widespread. This typology can help design targeted prevention strategies.
Substance use & misuse
January 1, 2002
Paolo Nencini
17 citations
Current models of drug addiction emphasize how drugs hijack the brain's reward system, focusing on pleasure as a primary cause. By comparing ancient shamanic rituals with modern rave parties, this analysis challenges that assumption. In archaic contexts, drug use served supernatural purposes, not recreation. Only after a fully secular setting for drug use emerged did psychoactive substances fully express their hedonistic potential, a development that occurred gradually.
Substance use & misuse
January 1, 2023
Bahram Armoon, Mark D Griffiths, Rasool Mohammadi
13 citations
Street-involved children and youth who work and live on or off the streets face elevated risks of using psychoactive substances and injecting drugs. A systematic review of studies published from 1985 to 2022 found that the most commonly reported lifetime and current substances were tobacco, cannabis, LSD/ecstasy, cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, and injection drugs. Lifetime and current use of methamphetamine and cannabis, as well as lifetime use of cocaine, LSD/ecstasy, heroin, tobacco, and injection drugs, increased with age, while current cocaine and tobacco use decreased with age.
Substance use & misuse
January 1, 2024
Benjamin A Korman
4 citations
Past-year LSD use increased more rapidly among business managers than among non-managers in the United States between 2006 and 2014. This difference was not explained by changes in managers' perceived risk of LSD or overall substance use. The findings suggest that hierarchical rank in the workplace is linked to rising LSD use, and that managers—both men and women—may be increasingly drawn to LSD for its potential to enhance creativity and competitive performance.
Substance use & misuse
January 1, 2025
Jadyn Hartwig, Jared Kendrick, Ghonwa Ahmad et al.
3 citations
People who use the psychoactive mushroom Amanita muscaria (fly agaric) report more positive than negative effects, and the negative effects are typically mild and temporary. This conclusion comes from analyzing 998 main posts and 9,542 comments on the Reddit forum r/AmanitaMuscaria. Users described reasons for consumption, modes of use, and both beneficial and adverse outcomes. The findings suggest that medical providers may not easily learn about a patient's use of this mushroom unless severe side effects occur. Further research into the mushroom's pharmacology and deeper analysis of online discussions is recommended to inform safe practices.
Substance use & misuse
January 1, 2025
Torbjørn Lien Kjær, Peter Hindersson, Jacob Rong Bentzen et al.
2 citations
A quality-control study of drug testing in three Danish prisons found that on-site immunoassay screening performed acceptably for the substances it targeted, with sensitivity ranging from 66 to 100%, specificity above 98%, and accuracy above 95%. However, laboratory analysis using LC-MS/MS and GC-MS detected additional drugs not covered by the screening, including tramadol, oxycodone, buprenorphine, ketamine, MDMA, 4-fluoroamphetamine, and GHB. The prevalence of drug use among inmates was, in order: cannabis, ethanol, cocaine, benzodiazepines, and amphetamine. No evidence emerged of a trend toward new psychoactive substances (NPS). The findings prompted plans to implement a broader screening method to reduce false negatives.
Substance use & misuse
May 1, 2025
Corinne L Chandler, Mance E Buttram, Matthew S Ellis
1 citation
Among 301 treatment-seeking individuals with opioid use disorder, 28.6% reported lifetime ketamine use. Ketamine use was more common among males and less common in rural locations. Most respondents used ketamine for psychoactive effects, and nearly half used it to self-treat physical or mental health problems, including mitigating opioid withdrawal or cravings. Polysubstance use involving ketamine was prevalent, with marijuana, alcohol, cocaine, MDMA, hallucinogens, and both prescription and illicit opioids commonly co-used. Negative experiences, including central nervous system complications and mental distress, were reported by 32.1% of those who used ketamine. Motivations for use varied, and such behaviors may increase risks of psychiatric or physical health conditions, including overdose or death.
Substance use & misuse
March 28, 2026
Graeme Knibb, Ruby Ward, Paul Christiansen et al.
People who use psilocybin for therapeutic or personal growth reasons tend to experience less self-stigma—the internalization of negative societal beliefs—while those who use it for social recreation tend to experience more self-stigma. In a survey of 239 people with prior psilocybin experience, three distinct motives emerged: social recreation, experiential enhancement, and therapeutic growth. Greater therapeutic growth motives were linked to lower self-stigma across cognitive, affective, and behavioral dimensions, and also to more frequent psilocybin use. Social recreation motives predicted higher self-stigma. Experiential enhancement showed no significant association with self-stigma. The results suggest that why people use psilocybin may shape how they internalize stigma, with implications for other substances and for clinical use.
Substance use & misuse
February 1, 2026
Kai Uwe Lewandrowski, Kenneth Blum, Sergio Schmidt et al.
Since 2000, suicide and opioid overdose rates have risen sharply. About one-third of people with major depressive disorder have treatment-resistant depression, creating an urgent need for new therapies. This narrative review synthesizes key preclinical and clinical findings on low-dose ketamine's rapid antidepressant effects. Low-dose ketamine quickly alleviates depressive symptoms, even in refractory depression. Proposed mechanisms include modulation of dopamine signaling via epigenetic neuroadaptation, interactions with D1/D2 receptor systems, optogenetic activation of D1 pathways, and changes in D2/D3 receptor availability. No consensus exists on its definitive mechanism of action. Ketamine's psychoactive properties and abuse potential underscore the need for enhanced clinical oversight and regulation.