Club drugs, also called
Rave drugs, are a loosely defined category of
recreational drugs which are associated with
discothèques in the 1970s and
dance clubs, parties, and
raves in the 1980s to the 2000s. Unlike many other categories, such as
opiates, which are established according to pharmaceutical properties, club drugs are a "category of convenience" which includes drugs ranging from
entactogens and
inhalants to
stimulants and
psychedelics. Dancers at all-night parties have used these drugs for their stimulating or psychedelic properties. "Club drugs" vary by country and region; in some areas, even
opiates such as
heroin have been sold at clubs, though this practice is relatively uncommon.