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Breaking the Grip
Wednesday, 17 January 2007.
Originally from express article 17 January 2007
By Di from Auckland Community Alcohol and Drug Services (CADS)
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| Di from CADS on some new queer research titled "Breaking the Grip" about Crystal Methamphine. |
I am always excited when I come across new queer research relating to drug use. The latest is from the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association in (one guess..) San Francisco. It is called “Breaking the Grip: Treating Crystal Methamphetamine Addiction Among Gay and Bisexual Men”. If you would like to read the report, it can be found at: www.glma.org.
The news is scary, after an extensive literature review and expert (healthcare providers) focus groups they found that gay men use methamphetamine at a rate ten times that of the heterosexual population.
The experts disagreed about a few things – but nearly all agreed that “methamphetamine has a high potential to cause serious health, financial and social consequences. Both heavy use (once a week or more) and light use (less than once a week) have been associated with increased high-risk sexual behaviours that transmit HIV/AIDS, syphilis, and other sexually transmitted infections (STI’s), including more sexual partners, more anonymous sex, more frequent occasions of anal sex, less frequent condom use, and more unprotected sex between partners of discordant HIV status.” (GLMA 2006).
The report did however challenge the belief (in America) that meth addiction among gay and bisexual men can not be treated successfully. It found although there are barriers to successful treatment that gay and bisexual men addicted to meth can and do get better.
Now I think we are less pessimistic in Aotearoa – I think that we know that treatment can be and is effective. We do however, like the States, have a serious ‘p’ problem and our queer populations are not accessing treatment.
I think this report highlights the hugely addictive nature of ‘P’. It is a wake up call for anyone who believes their weekly use is under control.
My challenge to all Express readers who use ‘P’ (or know someone who uses P), is to give CADS or the Alcohol and Drug Helpline a call (see below for details) for a ‘reality check’. It could be the best thing you do in 2007.
While I am talking about treatment, one really effective treatment for opiate users is the methadone programme. Methadone when prescribed and taken properly has saved many lives – unfortunately the reverse is true too. I am referring to the tragic death of a young gay man in Auckland last year on World Aids Day. He took a dose of methadone prescribed for someone else. He made a common mistake and presumed that just because his friend could take this amount, he could too. Methadone just doesn’t work like that – a dose as low as 10 mg has been known to be fatal. The potency can vary between formulations of methadone, so please live to see another day – and leave your mates methadone alone!!!
If you have concerns about your own or someone else's methamphetamine or other drug use, or if you'd like more information, contact CADS on 845 1818 or www.cads.org.nz or if you live outside Auckland contact Alcohol and Drug Helpline 0800 787 797.
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> More items from Di's Drug Column
