When Did Recreational Drugs Emerge

We think of recreational drugs as being a phenomenon that has emerged releatively recently. However, the use of drugs, other than medicinal purposes, has existed from antiquity. The purpose was sometimes not only for enjoyment but also integrated with religious practice. The mix of various pleasures with drug use has also been a consistent pattern across time.

Early Use of Recreational Drugs

The earliest recorded information we have about recreational drug use come from ancient Mesopotamia (modern Iraq) and Egypt.