Recreational drug use is the use of psychoactive drugs for recreational purposes rather than for work, medical or spiritual purposes, although the distinction is not always clear.

The psychopharmacologist Ronald K. Siegel, who has studied this field, refers to intoxication as the "fourth drive", arguing that the human instinct to seek mind-altering substances has so much force and persistence that it functions like the human drives for hunger, thirst and shelter.

Popular drugs

The drugs most popular for recreational use worldwide are:

Alcohol (ethanol) - Legal in most parts of the world.
• Caffeine - Most widely used legal psychoactive substance.
• Cannabis (THC) - Most widely used illegal psychoactive.
• Tobacco (nicotine) - Legal in most parts of the world.

Other substances often used:

Barbiturates, including

• amobarbital (Sodium Amytal)
• aprobarbital (Alurate)
• butalbital (Fiorinal)
• methylphenobarbital (Mebaral)
• sodium thiopental (Sodium Pentothal)
• pentobarbital (Nembutal)
• phenobarbital (Luminal)
• secobarbital (Seconal)

Benzodiazepines, including

• alprazolam (Xanax)
• bromazepam (Lexotanil)
• clonazepam (Rivotril/Klonopin)
• diazepam (Valium)
• lorazepam (Temesta/Ativan)
• flunitrazepam (Rohypnol)
• midazolam (Dormicum)
• nimetazepam (Erimin)
• nitrazepam (Mogadon)
• oxazepam (Seresta)
• temazepam (Normison/Restoril)

Deliriants, including

• atropine
• diphenhydramine hydrochloride (Nyquil/Benadryl)
• dimenhydrinate (Dramamine)
• scopolamine (Datura seeds)
• nutmeg

Dissociative anaesthetics, including

• dextromethorphan (DXM)
• diethyl ether (Ether)
• ketamine (Ketaset/Ketanest/Ketalar)
• nitrous oxide
• phencyclidine (PCP)
• xenon

Opium (Papaver somniferum) and opioids, including

• Buprenorphine (Temgesic, Transtec, Subutex), street names Temies, Subbies
• codeine
• dextropropoxyphene (Depronal, Darvocet)
• diacetylmorphine (Heroin), smack
• dihydrocodeine (DHC), (DF 118)
• fentanyl (Durogesic, Sublimaze, Actiq)
  • 3-Methylfentanyl
• hydrocodone (Vicodin), (Lortab)
• hydromorphone (Dilaudid), (Palladon)
• meperidine, or Pethidine (Demerol)
• methadone (Symoron, Methadose)
• morphine (MS Contin, Oramorph, Kapanol)
• nicomorphine (Morzet)
• oxycodone (OxyContin, OxyNorm, Roxicodone)
• oxymorphone (Opana)
• pentazocine (Fortral)
• tramadol (Tramal, Tramagetic)

Phenethylamines, including

• 2C-B
• 2C-E
• 2C-I
• 2C-T-2
• 2C-T-7
• ephedrine (ephedra)
• MDMA (ecstasy)
• MDEA
• MDA
• mescaline (found in peyote, peruvian torch, san pedro and other cacti).

Stimulants, including

• BZP and other piperazine-based drugs (mCPP, TFMPP)
• cocaine
• dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine, Adderall)
• methamphetamine (Desoxyn)
• Methcathinone ("cat", not to be confused with qat/khat/cathinone)
• methylphenidate (Ritalin)
• Ephedrine (yellow jackets, mini-thins) occasionally OTC a mild, somewhat amphetamine like effect.

• Tryptamines, including:
  • dimethyltryptamine (DMT, found in numerous plants)
  • psilocybin and psilocin (found in psychedelic mushrooms)
• ergine
• LSD (Lysergic acid diethylamide) (Delysid)

Inhalants, including

Unclassified

• gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB)
• kava
• MAO inhibitors, to potentiate certain other drugs
• salvinorin A, found in Salvia divinorum