Psychonauts typically considered themselves as "psychedelic researchers," "new Shamans," "philosophers," or "alchemists." They appeared to be mainly young, males, unmarried, and Caucasians. Data were collected between January and February 2014. The fora posts and threads were accurately reviewed, analyzed, and compared using the empirical phenomenological psychological (EPP) method. A netnographic research methodology, carried out through an unobtrusive observational approach of a list of cyber drug communities (blogs, fora, Facebook, and Twitter pages) was carried out. The present project aimed at identifying and describing the e-psychonauts' socio-demographic characteristics and their motivations and patterns of drug intake. These users, also called "e-psychonauts," may possess levels of technical knowledge relating to a range of novel psychoactive substances (NPS). Within online drug fora communities, there are some "educated and informed" users who can somehow provide reliable information on psychoactive compounds and combinations. A more precise understanding of online vending sites' customers may well facilitate the drafting and implementation of proper prevention campaigns aimed at counteracting the increasing levels of online drug acquisition and hence intake activities. The online availability of recreational/prescriptions drugs remains a public health concern. Drug vending websites are typically presented here with a “no prescription required” approach, together with aggressive marketing strategies. Conversely, people without any health insurance seemed to look at the web as a source of more affordable prescription medicines. Typical online recreational drugs' customers seem to be Caucasian, men, in their 20s, highly educated, and using the web to impact as minimally as possible on their existing work/professional status. The PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scopus databases were searched here in order to elicit data on the socio-demographic characteristics of the recreational marketplaces/online pharmacies' customers and the determinants relating to online drug purchasing activities. We aimed here at reviewing data relating to the profile of the online drug customer and at describing drug vending websites.
Internet and social networking sites play a significant role in the marketing and distribution of recreational/prescription drugs without restrictions.