Club Drugs

MDMA (ecstasy), Rohypnol, GHB, and ketamine are among the drugs used by teens and young adults who are part of a nightclub, bar, rave, or trance scene. Raves and trance events are generally night-long dances, often held in warehouses. Many who attend raves and trances do not use drugs, but those who do may be attracted to their generally low cost, and to the intoxicating highs that are said to deepen the rave or trance experience. Current science, however, is showing changes to critical parts of the brain from use of these drugs.

Although national rates for hospital emergency department (ED) mentions of club drugs were low in 2002 (with none exceeding 2 mentions per 100,000 population) and no increases were measured from 2001 to 2002, significant increases in certain club drug mentions were apparent from 1995 to 2002. MDMA ED mentions, for example, increased from 421 in 1995 to 4,026 in 2002; and GHB ED mentions increased from 145 in 1995 to 3,330 in 2002.