Ketamine, a noncompetitive antagonist of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor, has multiple clinical uses. On the other hand, ketamine abuse or recreational use has been gaining increasing attention. Induction of mania and psychotic symptoms has been reported in a patient receiving IV ketamine therapy for reflex sympathetic dystrophy. We here report a 26 year-old man who abused ketamine by ...

BACKGROUND Recreational cannabis use and alcohol binge drinking are the most common drug consumption patterns in young adults. Impulsivity and several psychopathological signs are increased in chronic drug users, but the implications of recreational use are still poorly understood. METHODS We evaluated impulsivity, sensation-seeking traits, impulsive decision-making, inhibitory control and po...

The recreational use of synthetic cannabinoids has recently increased. This increase is due, in part, to the recent availability of inexpensive compound sold legally online in bulk. In particular, JWH-018 (1-pentyl-3-(1-naphthoyl)indole) and JWH-073 (1-butyl-3-(1-naphthoyl)indole) have been found in herbal blends marketed as alternatives to cannabis. Although these particular compounds have rec...

Use of illicit drugs in clubs and large dance parties (so-called raves) is a burgeoning cultural trend. Such recreational drug use is associated with several medical complications, both acute and longlasting. Although few, if any, of the drugs currently used in recreational venues are truly new, their patterns and context of use have changed (a great deal in some instances). For some of these s...

The Canadian Special Senate Committee on Illegal Drugs (2003) noted that little ethnographic research had been devoted to exploring why people use marijuana recreationally or the social contexts in which it is used. The purpose of this exploratory qualitative research is to better understand both of these neglected topics through interviews conducted with 41 adult Canadian users between 2005 an...

M arijuana is a very old drug with documented use reaching back to Chinese emperors and Egyptian pharaohs. Ancient civilizations described the medicinal value of marijuana, promoting it for its healing powers, antiinflammatory properties, and as a treatment for many different disease states. In the several intervening millennia, the medicinal claims surrounding marijuana use have been validated...