Recreational Drug Use in Estonia: The Context of Club Culture

Abstract

Youth subcultures, the use of illicit drugs, and the relationship between the two were thoroughly influenced by the opening of Estonia to international influences in the 1990s. Survey data point at a recent growth in the use of illicit drugs among Estonian teenagers. Relying on participant observation and a number of in-depth individual and group interviews in 1997–2000, the article describes the “club” or “rave” culture in the Estonian capital. Consumption of illicit drugs belongs to that youth subculture as an integrated part. However, its norms also set clear limits for drug consumption patterns. The inner circle of the clubbers stresses the importance of internal control and the autonomy of the individual. While the use of drugs is accepted, addiction is condemned. This allows us to make a division between recreational and marginalized consumers, the latter being considered deviant not only by the dominant culture, but by the youth subculture itself.