chem

Noun

chem (countable and uncountable, plural chems)

1. (in plural, informal, often) A chemical weapon.
   • This is the very opposite of what we’ve called for — namely, for Biden to publicly identify in advance a specific US (at least) hard-power response to Putin’s use of chems (or other weapons of mass destruction).2022 March 24, “Biden press conference gives Putin less than nothing to fear”, in New York Post
2. (in plural, informal, often) A recreational drug.
   • “I actively searched for someone to tell me how they’d made an informed and calculated choice to use chems and, that for them, the chem scene is just recreation.” […] “Even those who told me sex on chems made them feel ‘like a don’ would follow up such celebratory statements with tales of...2016 May 10, Ben Guarino, “The ‘chemsex’ scene: An increasingly popular and sometimes lethal public-health problem”, in The Washington Post
   • When you think ‘drugs’, you think Trainspotting. ‘Chems’ is easier off the tongue and, although explicit, it doesn't feel quite as bad. At least to us.2017, James Wharton, Something for the Weekend, Biteback Publishing, →ISBN

   Synonyms:

   recreational drug, drug, dope, gear, horse, stuff, substance