Adverse drug effects as a deterrent against willingness to use in the future among nightclub/festival attendees.

Among people who attend electronic dance music parties in New York City, experiencing a harmful or very unpleasant effect after using cocaine or ecstasy in the past month was associated with a lower willingness to use the same drug again in the next month. For cocaine, the adjusted prevalence ratio was 0.58, and for ecstasy, 0.45. Adverse effects from LSD or ketamine did not show a statistically significant association with willingness to use again after adjusting for other factors. The findings suggest that personally experienced adverse effects can deter future use of some party drugs in this high-risk population, and interventions may benefit from highlighting such effects.

Study at a glance

Abstract

It is largely unknown whether adverse effects experienced from recreational drug use affect willingness to use again. This study determined whether adverse effects from select party drugs affect reported willingness to use again in the next month among a high-risk population-people who attend electronic dance music parties at nightclubs or dance festivals. Adults (age ≥ 18) entering nightclubs/festivals were surveyed in New York City in 2018-2022 (n = 2981). Participants were asked about past-month use of common party drugs (cocaine, ecstasy, lysergic acid diethylamide [LSD] and ketamine), whether they had experienced a harmful or very unpleasant effect after use in the past 30 days, and whether they intend to use again in the next 30 days if offered by a friend. The relationship between having experienced an adverse outcome and willingness to use again was examined in a bivariable and multivariable manner. Experiencing an adverse effect after past-month cocaine (adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR] = 0.58, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.35-0.95) or ecstasy use (aPR = 0.45, 95% CI 0.25-0.80) was associated with lower risk for willingness to use again. Adverse effects related to LSD use were related to lower risk of being willing to use again in the bivariable model, but in multivariable models, risk was not attenuated for willingness to use LSD or ketamine again. Personally experienced adverse effects can deter willingness to use certain party drugs again in this high-risk population. Interventions targeting cessation of recreational party drug use can likely benefit from focusing on deleterious effects of use that have been experienced.