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Recreational drug useRecreational drug use is the use of psychoactive drugsfor recreationalrather than for workingor for medicalor spiritualpurposes, 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 controversyon 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.
HistoryThe recreational use of drugs has existed throughout human history. The most widespread recreationally used drug used to be alcohol. Beerand winewere 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. Caffeinehas 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, cannabisretains 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 Empireand other Western powers used military power to force Chinato legalize its importation from India and other British colonies (see Opium Wars). Cocahas been chewed by natives and peasants long prior to its refinement into cocaine. Similarly, khatand 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. Islamforbids the consumption of alcoholic beverages, and many religions discourage the recreational use of drugs. In the 20th centurysome 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 hempplant — 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 aspectsIn 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 mushroomsis increasingly ignored or given a low priority by law enforcement officials. This attitude stands in marked contrast to the official policy of the United Statesgovernment, which declared a "War on Drugs" under President Richard Nixonin 1972which 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 reductionby 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 heroinand 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, tobaccoand 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 recreationThe drugs most popular for recreational use worldwide are alcohol, cannabis, caffeine, tobacco, betel nut, and khat. Other substances often used for recreational purposes follow:
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tokipona:ilo nasa ms:Dadah rekreasi zh:毒品 Categories: Drugs| Ethics| Moral panics| Psychoactive drugs
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