One in four LGBTQ+ people surveyed have lost a loved one to drug-related death (EXCLUSIVE)
Data also suggests that passing out from GBL is "extremely common and appears normalised"
By Callum Wells
More than a quarter of LGBTQ+ people surveyed have lost at least one loved one to a drug-related death in the last five years, according to new research into drug use and harm in London’s LGBTQ+ community.
The findings come from Drug Use, Chemsex and Harm in London’s LGBTQ+ Community: A Community-Led Evidence Report (2026), produced by You Are Loved CIC and shared exclusively with Attitude.
The report also highlights the high levels of harm associated with GHB/GBL and crystal meth
The survey included 1,156 LGBTQ+ people who had used at least one recreational drug in the previous 12 months. Overall, 28 per cent said they had lost at least one loved one to a drug-related death, rising to 33 per cent among respondents in Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham.
The report also highlights the high levels of harm associated with the three chemsex drugs GHB/GBL, crystal meth, and mephedrone. People who used at least one of these substances were almost three times more likely to describe their recreational drug use as harmful than those who used other drugs.
Of the respondents, 560 reported using at least one of the three chemsex drugs.
Passing out from GHB/GBL
Two thirds of GHB/GBL users said they had passed out or fallen asleep involuntarily while using the drug. The report classifies these episodes as overdoses and warns that their frequency may have contributed to them becoming normalised.
Half of GHB/GBL users reported some level of concern about their use.
Crystal meth had the highest reported harm profile, with almost 60 per cent of users reporting some level of concern. One in five described their use as a “big problem”, while 41 per cent said they used crystal meth at home alone.
Mephedrone had the lowest reported harm profile of the three drugs, although 44 per cent of users still reported some level of concern. It was more commonly used in social settings, with 69 per cent reporting use in clubs and 35 per cent in bars.
Chemsex label creates a gap
The survey also found that almost a third of people using the three drugs would not describe their drug use as chemsex.
Some 33.7 per cent said they would always use the term, while 35.5 per cent said they would sometimes use it. Among those who considered their drug use a “big problem”, 70 per cent said they would always describe it as chemsex, compared with just 22 per cent of those who did not consider their use problematic.
“These drugs aren’t interchangeable, and GHB/GBL and crystal meth are causing the most harm” – Marc Svensson, You Are Loved CIC
The report warns this could create a communication gap for services using the term to reach people who need support.
Marc Svensson, founder and director of You Are Loved CIC, said: “These drugs aren’t interchangeable, and GHB/GBL and crystal meth are causing the most harm. A third of the respondents are also telling us that chemsex isn’t a word they use about themselves. We must listen to both of those things when we design support.”
The survey was self-selected and predominantly comprised gay men (87 per cent), cisgender men (91 per cent) and white respondents (80 per cent), so the findings should not be treated as population-level estimates for all LGBTQ+ people or queer Londoners.