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FROM: LAMBDA (admin@...)

This is a copy of an article that appeared on GayMonkey.com El Paso, TX - Gay El
Paso, TX. You can see the original story
by going to http://elpaso.gaymonkey.com/article.cfm?Section=12&ID=5451
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Meth + Crystal Meth and drug use by HIV+ gay men by Tim McCanless The energy is
through the roof, hot sweaty bodies in a huge room. You can feel
the heat from the fevered pitch as the bodies writhe to the beat of the music.
Imagine doing that several days a week and having a full time job. It seems
there has to be something that keeps them going. The scary part of the Crystal
meth use is that many users are HIV+. 
In an article from IN Magazine from December 2004, Dr. Gary Cohen, a leading
authority in HIV and AIDS medicine states that “there is no such thing as
recreational use of crystal meth. It’s so addictive and so damaging, people
take a dabble at a club, party or on the dance floor and become unwitting
addicts. People do things that they normally wouldn’t do. It also messes up
your brain chemistry, as the user keeps chasing that first high. It can do
permanent damage.”
Openly gay singer Paul Lukakis was at a forum in West Hollywood and this is
what he had to say about crystal meth. “It’s a disgusting drug,” said
Lukakis,
who is positive, clean and sober. “It gives you this thirst for sex. But no
matter how many sexual encounters you have, your thirst is never quenched,
never satisfied. If you’re HIV+, usually the last thing on your mind is having
a conversation about your HIV status. Negatives need to know that you can’t
trust someone who’s using crystal meth."
In a study done on Circuit party attendance, club drug use and unsafe sex in
gay men, they examined the population demographics and club drugs used in gay
circuit parties and estimated the reported unsafe sexual behavior associated
with each drug, the reasons for attending circuit parties and the unsafe sex
associated with different reasons.
Now stay with me, this isn’t as complex as it might seem. A brief
questionnaire
was given to a nonrandom attendees covering, drugs used, sexual activity and
reasons for attending gay circuit parties at three major North America parties
in 1998-1999. A total of 1169 usable questionnaires were obtained. The drugs
surveyed were alcohol, marijuana, ecstasy, special K, crystal meth, poppers and
GHB were calculated as was the significance of unsafe sex for the ten major
reasons for attending circuit parties.
The results in 12 months show that party drug use was high. 50% reported using
alcohol, ecstasy and Special K. Frequent rather than occasional use of Ecstasy
Special K and poppers had an association with unsafe sex in 12 months, but not
necessarily at circuit parties, but crystal meth and GHB were a trend.
Attending Circuit parties “to look and feel good,” “to have sex,” and
“to be
uninhibited and wild” were associated with higher levels of unsafe sex in 12
months. In this sample, circuit party attendees are well educated and
financially secure. Party drug use is high. It appears that the use of poppers,
Ecstasy, Special K, crystal meth and GHB are associated with various measures
of unsafe sex.
Though there is no scientific proof of the correlation between crystal use and
HIV infection, there is anecdotal evidence of a connection. It is a larger
problem than people think. If you use crystal meth and you want help there are
places to help you. If you use any drugs and you want help, by all means please
seek help. Life is too short to look at it through a plastic bag. For more
information on crystal meth go to www.escapemeth.com or call Custom treatment
for crystal meth abusers and addicts at 1-800-281-8132

Tim McCanless is Managing Editor of Boi Magazine, Chicago, IL.
www.boimagazine.com

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