"At Least I Use Magnesium Before I Go Clubbing": Health Perspectives, Risk Denial Techniques, Risk Balancing, and Edgework in Recreational Club Drug Use.

This article examines how young adults in Oslo, Norway, who use club drugs perceive health and risk, based on in-depth interviews with 35 recreational users. It applies and extends Peretti-Watel’s risk denial theory—which originally includes scapegoating, self-confidence, and comparison between risks—by proposing a fourth technique called "compensating behaviors," encompassing both health-related actions and discourse such as exercise, supplement use, and fluid replacement. The study finds that participants actively integrate health-conscious practices into their drug use to balance and legitimize their behaviors, reflecting a form of "harm reduction from below." These findings highlight the complex negotiation between club drug use and healthy living, suggesting implications for non-judgmental, health-focused prevention strategies tailored to young adults in nightlife settings.