Gay men and drugs:

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Gay men and drugs getting the message
across Richard Scholey, Terrence Higgins Trust
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Defining drugs

• THT drugs research work includes
• illicit substances subject to Misuse of Drugs Act
• GBL (gamma butyrolactone)
• alcohol
• anabolic steroids
• poppers (amyl nitrite inhalants)
• erectile dysfunction meds (eg, Viagra)
• tranquilisers/benzodiazipines

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Defining gay

• MSM men who have sex with men
• From
• men who dont identify as gay or bisexual, may
  have sex with women too, maybe only loosely part
  of the gay subculture (if at all)
• To
• out gay men with strong attachment
• to the gay scene, mostly having sex
• only with men.

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• Commonly held beliefs
• Gay men as hedonistic party animals
• Higher disposable income
• Risk takers and trend setters
• Their drug use is social (maybe sexual)
• Stimulants not depressants or opiates
• Drug use not linked to crime or
• anti-social behaviour

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Gay v heterosexual drug use

• Gay men use more drugs
• Use them for longer
• Use a wider variety
• Poly drug use the norm
• Drugs to facilitate sexual activity
• Early adaptors of drug trends
• from overseas

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• Drugs gay men use
• Used in last year () weekly use ()
• Alcohol 92 67
• Tobacco 40 40
• Poppers 44-50 12
• Cannabis 26-35 7
• Viagra 17 3.5
• Ecstasy 17-24 2.5
• Cocaine 13-22 2
• Ketamine 4-13 1.5

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• Used in last year () weekly use ()
• Speed 7-19 1
• Tranquilisers 4 1.2
• GHB/GBL 3-7 0.5
• LSD 3-6 0.3
• Crystal meth 3-5 0.3
• Crack cocaine 1.5-4 0.3
• Heroin 1-3 0.3

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• Gay men, drug use and HIV risk
• Most studies come from US
• Crystal meth and poppers main drivers of
  infections
• Main UK study (INSIGHT) found the only drug
  linked with HIV infection was poppers
• Key factor with poppers is not disinhibiting
  effect but physical effect on rectum

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Getting messages to gay men

• Web 68
• Booklets 55
• Press articles 51
• Press ads 39
• Talking to a professional 22-32
• (not in venues)
• Groups/workshops 20
• Talking to an outreach workers 18
• (in venues)
• Helpline 18

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• More research
• www.sigmaresearch.org.uk
• Consuming passions (2005 sex survey)
• Whos using what? summary of 2007 drug alcohol
  findings
• Sigma Research reports due soon
• full 2007 sex survey data
• new drugs report
• Part 1 review of strategy and policies.
• Part 2 experiences of ca. 50 men
• with problematic drug and alcohol use