Men in England more likely to use chemsex drugs than people in Spain, Italy and Greece
A new study found that around 33 per cent of men in England had taken chemsex drugs over the last year
By Steve Brown
Words: Steve Brown
Men in England are more likely to use chemsex drugs then people in Spain, Italy and Greece.
A new study – which was shown at the recent 17th European Aids Conference – found that HIV-positive men in England had a higher general drug use then other men in the three European countries.
Around 33 per cent of respondents in England reported they had taken chemsex drugs over the last year compared to 22 per cent in Spain, 19 per cent in Greece and 13 per cent in Italy.
Up to 78 per cent of English respondents had used recreational drugs in the last 12 months and nearly half said they had used crystal meth – again higher than their European counterparts.
More than 40 per cent of recreational drug users in England also reported having taken GHB in the last year and the study found that English respondents were more likely to inject drugs.
The study also found that HIV-positive men in England experience more adverse effects of chemsex drugs with 21 per cent saying the drugs had a negative impact on their work.
Last year, a study found that gay and bisexual men who use drugs while having sex are more likely to be diagnosed with HIV, hepatitis C and other STIs.
The study, published in the medical journal HIV Medicine, reviewed information from 1,840 gay and bisexual men who used two sexual health clinics in London between 2014 and 2015.
It found that those who reported they had participated in chemsex – the trend where people take drugs, including crystal meth, mephedrone, cocaine and ketamine, to enhance sex – were five times more likely to be newly diagnosed with HIV.
This year, a shocking documentary revealed attackers are putting chemsex drugs in lube to ‘date-rape’ their victims.
In the largest-ever study of GHB users, a new survey suggests 1 in 4 who take the drug have been sexually assaulted. Of those, 4 in 5 know someone else who has also been assaulted.