Partydrogen im Überblick

Party drugs are a diverse group of legal and illegal psychoactive substances used in social settings like clubs and festivals to alter mood, perception, and social interaction. Alcohol and cannabis are most common, followed by amphetamine, MDMA, cocaine, and ketamine. These drugs act through various pharmacological mechanisms: alcohol affects GABAergic, glutamatergic, and dopaminergic systems; cannabis acts on the endocannabinoid system; stimulants increase monoaminergic neurotransmitters; MDMA has a strong serotonergic component; ketamine produces dissociative effects via glutamatergic mechanisms; and psychedelics alter sensory processing through serotonergic modulation. Polydrug use is frequent. Acute risks include cardiovascular strain, hyperthermia, and anxiety, while long-term consequences can involve cognitive impairments, dependence, and social complications.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Party drugs encompass a broad spectrum of legal and illegal psychoactive substances used in party settings such as clubs, festivals, raves or private gatherings to modulate mood, perception, social interaction and bodily states. Most commonly, alcohol and cannabis are consumed, followed by amphetamine, MDMA (“ecstasy”), cocaine and ketamine. Synthetic cathinones, GHB/GBL (“liquid ecstasy”), psychedelics such as LSD and psilocybin, and – less commonly – medications including benzodiazepines or opioid analgesics and other substances are also used in these contexts, with prevalence patterns varying considerably – depending, for example, on scene characteristics and temporal or regional trends. The pharmacological mechanisms involved are diverse. For example, alcohol acts on GABAergic, glutamatergic and dopaminergic systems, while cannabis exerts effects via the endocannabinoid system. Activating stimulants such as amphetamine, cocaine or synthetic cathinones increase the availability of monoaminergic neurotransmitters, especially dopamine and noradrenaline; MDMA shows a particularly pronounced serotonergic component facilitating entactogenic and empathogenic effects. Ketamine produces dissociative states partly via glutamatergic mechanisms, GHB/GBL induces dose-dependent stimulating, disinhibiting or sedating effects partly through GABAergic processes, and psychedelics alter sensory processing mostly through serotonergic modulation. Polydrug use is common. Party drugs can elicit effects such as heightened energy, wakefulness, euphoria, relaxation, intensified sensory perception and greater social openness, while acute risks, for example, include cardiovascular strain, hyperthermia, disturbances of consciousness and anxiety reactions. Long-term consequences include somatic complaints, cognitive impairments, affective dysregulation, dependence, social complications and other adverse outcomes. Risk profiles as well as preventive and therapeutic approaches are shaped not only by the specific substance but also by use patterns, motives, contextual factors and additional variables.