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Background/Aim: Research on substance use in nightlife environments has largely focused on illicit drugs, whereas the non-medical use of prescription-only medicines (POMs) has received comparatively little attention. Consequently, evidence on the prevalence, patterns of use, and sources of supply associated with non-medical POM use in Berlin’s club and party scene remains limited. The objective of the present study was to assess the 12-month prevalence of non-medical POM use (defined as use without a valid medical prescription) among adults in Berlin’s club and party scene. It also examined polysubstance use, negative experiences associated with non-medical POM use, and sources of supply.

Methods: An anonymous, internet-based cross-sectional survey was conducted among 515 adults between November and December 2025 who self-identified as part of Berlin’s club and party scene. Participants were recruited through social media, messaging groups, and flyers distributed near selected nightlife venues. A pre-tested study-specific questionnaire assessed non-medical use of predefined POM categories, polysubstance use, negative experiences, and sources of supply. Descriptive analyses were performed.

Results: Overall, 272 respondents reported non-medical use of POMs during the previous 12 months. The substances most frequently used in connection with club or party attendance were anesthetics/analgesics (86.4%), sedatives/hypnotics (43.0%), and medications for treatment of erectile dysfunction (23.2%). Polysubstance use across POM categories was common, with 58.9% of users reporting non-medical use from at least two medicine categories. Negative experiences attributed to suspected poor quality or incorrect dosage were reported by 39.0% of users. The most frequently reported sources of supply were friends or acquaintances (48.2%), messaging services (32.4%), and dealers (8.5%).

Discussion/Conclusion: The observed patterns of non-medical POM use, particularly involving anesthetics/analgesics and sedatives/hypnotics, broadly aligns with previous findings documenting substantial ketamine, benzodiazepine, and opioid use in German and international nightlife settings. The prominence of friends or acquaintances and messaging services as reported sources of supply highlights the relevance of informal and digitally mediated supply networks. The results support the need for low-threshold, scene-specific, and targeted medication-safety interventions.

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