In the summer of 1988, Acid House music concerts emerged in British cities, triggering a media frenzy of misinformation about a supposed drug craze. The music was banned from pop charts, radio, television, and retail outlets. While some psychoactive substances were bought, sold, and consumed at these events, drug use does not appear to have been extensive. The drumming aspect of Acid House music seems instrumental in producing altered states of consciousness at a physiological level. The social setting of events further enhances these responses. Acceptance by subcultural groups may depend on media exposure and societal reactions, especially if authoritarian suppression amplifies the music's political or ideological aspects.
Personality traits, particularly openness to internal, reverie-type experiences, strongly predict subjective responses to nitrous oxide, while general traits like introversion and neuroticism do not. In a lab setting, 60 young men inhaled 40% nitrous oxide-oxygen for 20 minutes. Prior illicit drug use only influenced mood, not other effects. The findings suggest specific personality characteristics shape drug experiences more than broad traits or past drug use.
The effects of psychoactive drug use depend on both the drug's inherent properties and the context of use. Two theories address this: the Weil thesis emphasizes the immediate set and setting, while the Lindesmith thesis focuses on how social control shapes use patterns and long-term effects. Evidence for each is mixed; neither fully explains the phenomena, but both are necessary for a complete understanding.