Any use of illegal substances that have no recognized medical purpose is generally regarded as abuse. Thus the best general definition of drug abuse is the use of any drug in a way that does not follow medical advice or that does not conform to a particular culture's accepted usage. The term "misuse" refers specifically to the use of a therapeutic drug in any way other than what is seen as good medical practice.
Recreational or Casual Drug Use
When a person's reason for using a drug is to obtain effects that give the user some kind of pleasure or rewarding sensation—even if that use has potential risks—this is known as recreational use. When an individual takes a drug occasionally rather than regularly, this is called casual use. The term implies that the user is not dependent or addicted (see following), but it does not indicate the motive for use or the amount used on any occasion. Thus, a casual user might become intoxicated (see next section) or suffer an acute adverse effect on occasion, even if these are infrequent.
A person might occasionally use a drug to achieve a specific short-term benefit under special circumstances. This kind of drug use is known as circumstantial (drug use prompted by certain circumstances) or utilitarian (drug use that serves a particular purpose).
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