Bluelight (web forum)
| Nickname | Bluelight |
|---|---|
| Predecessor | MDMA Clearinghouse |
| Formation | 1997 |
| Legal status | Non-profit organisation |
| Purpose | Harm reduction, peer support, academic research, mental health, drug education, substance dependence recovery |
| Headquarters | Melbourne, Australia |
Region served | International |
| Membership | 487,000+ (October 2025) |
Official language | English |
Executive Director | Monica J. Barratt |
Parent organization | Bluelight Communities Ltd. |
| Affiliations | Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies Erowid TripSit PillReports.net |
| Volunteers | 50+ |
| Website | www |
Formerly called | Bluelight.ru, Bluelight.nu |
Bluelight is a web-forum, research portal, online community, and non-profit organisation dedicated to harm reduction in drug use. Its userbase includes current and former substance users, academic researchers, drug policy activists, and mental health advocates. It is believed to be the largest online international drug discussion website in the world. As of November 2025, the website claims over 475,900 registered members, the Discord community claims over 11,900 members, and additional members utilise other platforms such as Telegram.
Bluelight has been utilised by academic researchers as a primary source of data in numerous publications. Researchers also utilise the site to advertise research studies, recruit study participants, and better understand the world of substance use. Research groups and organisations that have partnered with Bluelight to recruit study participants include Imperial College London, Johns Hopkins University, Health Canada, Karlstad University, Curtin University, Macquarie University, Columbia University, University of Pennsylvania, University of Michigan, Toronto Metropolitan University (then known as Ryerson University), and MAPS.
Researchers have found that the most common reasons for substance users to visit Bluelight.org and similar online communities are to learn "how to use drugs safely" and "how to help others use drugs safely."
Bluelight neither condemns or condones drug use, instead advocating for the principle of responsible drug use; educating and allowing individuals to make informed decisions regarding their drug use, providing information on local drug misuse services, and providing them with other drug harm reduction resources and public safety notices.