Chemsex: Why Does It Matter?

Chemsex, having sex under the influence of illegal drugs and often with multiple partners, is rapidly increasing and should be a public health priority due to increased HIV risk say experts.

The practice is mainly carried out by gay men using a combination of drugs such as mephedrone, GHB, GBL and crystal meth enabling them to have sexual sessions lasting hours or even days.

The authors referred to the Chemsex Study, the first British research project of its kind from earlier this year which used data from the European Men-who-have-sex-with-men Internet Survey (EMIS). Of 1,142 respondents in the London boroughs of Lambeth, Southwark, and Lewisham, around a fifth reported chemsex within the past five years and one in ten within the past four weeks, suggesting that it is practised by a minority of men who have sex with men...

Antidote, a specialist service for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender community in London, reported almost two-thirds (64 per cent) of attendees seeking support for drug use reported using chemsex drugs in 2013-14. Of crystal meth and GHB/GBL users, most reported using them to facilitate sex, with around three quarters reporting injecting drug use...

The Independent. 

This is one of a number of stories about a short report published by the BMJ (British Medical Journal), What Is Chemsex And Why Does It Matter?

See also the Daily Mail, Daily Star, the Daily Telegraph, The Guardian, and the Mirror. 

For which journalist can resist a scare story that seems to mix up (gay) sex and drugs and death?

Especially when it concerns the media's current obsession/bogeyman CHEMSEX!!!??

Though all were relatively calm; and none reached for the usual narcophobic cliches and wrote of an imaginary EXPLOSION or EPIDEMIC.

In fine, it's hardly groundbreaking stuff; 'a minority of men who have sex with men' have reported having sex on drugs '('chemsex' has a rather elastic definition here), unprotected sex is not unusual (the BMJ report says it's 'the norm', a nebulous term given without clarification or qualification), some have sought help from drug agencies.

A few brief points...

There is no new research.

The Chemsex Study - which The Guardian first reported on rather hysterically in April 2014 - was based on interviews with just 30 men (plus focus groups).

The EMIS survey - an online self-selecting survey, please note, thus possibly about as reliable as a fortune-telling horse - asked not about 'chemsex parties', but the use of 'drugs typically used at (sex) parties (party drugs)'; 'ecstasy, amphetamines, crystal methamphetamine, mephedrone, GHB/GBL, ketamine or cocaine' [page 154].

The BMJ article used the line; 'Chemsex drug users often describe “losing days” -  not sleeping or eating for up to 72 hours' (with an 'an average of five sexual partners per session') - these anecdotal magic numbers are often presented as standard in these news stories.

Does it sound better than saying 'for up to four days'?

This quote was usually mis-interpreted; 'At Antidote, a specialist drugs service for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender community in London, around 64% of attendees seeking support for drug use reported using chemsex drugs in 2013-14.'

This does not say 64% of attendees engaged in chemsex parties, just that they had taken certain drugs usually associated with it in the last year, nor does it say that chemsex was what they were specifically seeking help with. 

What do you think gay men who'd gone for advice about drugs - at a gay men's drugs service - would say?

Sake!

Note how the Telegraph present this story as chemsex becoming popular among 'the heterosexual mainstream population', though co-author Jamie Willis doesn't sound too convinced.

There's no reason to think something some gay men do will catch on in a similar way among straight people.

It's about as convincing an argument as saying straight men will start loving Lady Gaga eventually.

Oh, and Jamie Willis works for Antidote - so one notes how the BMJ article concludes by stating it should be 'A PUBLIC HEALTH PRIORITY' to increase funding to gay-specific drug services.

Please remember 'experts' are always right, and never wrong.

They are there to be quoted, never questioned.

Good day.

Dazed: Chemsex

“I’ve been politely asked to quieten down and get on with it – which I can fully appreciate – since I was probably sharing my thoughts on animal cruelty while simultaneously attempting to give someone a blowjob” explains James, a 23 year old actor from London. He is describing his experience of chillouts, an emerging subculture featuring drugs and group sex amongst urban gay and bisexual men, principally in London but, increasingly, across other cities in the UK.

Gay chillouts are often an event in and of themselves (rather than an after-party) and they aren’t for smoking weed and comedowns: the purpose is to get high. As James’ anecdote encapsulates, it’s a strange confusion of the social and sexual – where drugs can allow groups of strangers to be both gregarious and gratified without some of the awkwardness such anonymity might produce. The other slang term used for this, now adopted by clinicians and health workers is "chemsex"...

From a thoughtful, non-hysterical and largely non-judgmental article on Dazed online by Sean Faye, which looks at the chemsex scene as much a social as a sexual activity. A rare break form the usual 'They're fucking themselves to death!' narrative on this. Though he appears to conclude we should be starting knitting circles or something.

PS This study by Sigma Research has just been published by the BMJ. The Dazed article only mentions some rather partisan 'staistics'.

BBC Radio 4: Chemsex

Being a modern multi-media kinda guy I've been livetweeting during this Radio 4 shock doc. >>>

Might not calm down enough from hearing about the FULL ABJECT HORROR OF THIS SORDID GAY DRUGS DEATH CULT for a bit, but will try and write something like a proper review soon. x

Quick review: Not as ALL THESE GAY DRUG SLUTS ARE GONNA DIE as I'd feared. Much of it sounded like an ad for the chemsex scene. Clearly the work of David 'Chicken Licken' Stuart. I know of one contributor who spoke against his self-serving narco-hysteria narrative who was left on the cutting room floor. The conclusion - 'Why don't they go on dinner dates?' - was too funny for words.

PS Mobeen Azhar summarizes his programme in an article for Attitude online.

An interview with GT appears to have been written by a school matron trying to out vanilla him; 'So it’s a lonely and sad lifestyle?' etc etc

There's also a 10 minute report on the Victoria Derbyshire Programme on iPlayer (1.20 in).

You also might find this of interest; Sigma Research's The Chemsex Study: Drug Use In Sexual Settings Among Gay and Bisexual Men In Lambeth, Sothwark & Lewisham.

It's a serious and thorough piece of research, and not more of the dodgy and sensationalist narco-hysteria about gay men and drugs that the straight and gay media like to fixate on.