Overview:
Studies conducted since the 1970s have suggested a higher prevalence of alcohol and drug use in lesbian, gay, bi and transgender (LGBT) communities compared to the general population. Of all the communities affected by the increased use of “party” drugs like cocaine, MDMA (ecstasy, X), ketamine (special K), amyl nitrate (poppers), and methamphetamines (crystal meth), gay men are perhaps most notably affected. In addition to their dangerous physiological effects, these drugs cause disinhibition, incaution, and, some say, heightened sexual arousal. Health providers believe they hinder safe sex practices, that they have catalyzed recently increased rates of gonorrhea, syphilis, hepatitis A, and HIV in metropolitan LGBT communities, and that they are a serious LGBT health concern. Many providers find the correlation between party drug use and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in urban gay male populations in their locality.
Party drugs, sometimes called dance drugs, are so called because they cause feelings of empathy and euphoria and are associated with the nightclub scene, raves, and circuit dance parties, which travel between cities like Miami, Atlanta, New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. LGBT communities routinely organize circuit parties, often as AIDS fundraisers. Ketamine, ecstasy, and amyl nitrate are often brought into the venue by patrons. Many claim that the loss of inhibition and the feelings of disassociation caused by drugs like ketamine heighten their experience and allow them to dance vigorously longer. Consequently, dehydration and heat exhaustion are common.
Yale researchers hope to develop a form of ketamine — an effective but very dangerous antidepressant — that’s safe, easy to use and effective within hours of taking it.
A new study sheds light on how the drug affects operations in the brain, and why it works so fast compared to other antidepressants. The study was led by Ronald Duman, a professor of psychiatry and pharmacology at Yale, and George Aghajanian, professor of pharmacology. It will be published Friday in the journal Science.
The most popular antidepressants like Prozac and Zoloft, which are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI), can take weeks before patients feel their effects. Saying that it’s “like a magic drug,” Duman notes that one dose of ketamine works fast and can last for up to 10 days.
PROTECT YOURSELF AND YOUR FRIENDS
If you are going to a bar, a social party Rave or other social event, always go with a good friend whom you trust.
Never go home with somebody you have just met, go home with your buddy. Go to the washroom with your buddy.
Never accept a drink from a stranger or casual friend, go to the bar with them or alone.
Never leave a drink and go out on the dance floor then come back to your drink. Somebody could have slipped a drug into your unattended drink. Get a fresh drink.
Never go out to the parking lot alone, to get a breath of fresh air, you are vulnerable to assault. Take your buddy.
Watch your buddy for unusual behavior, intervene, get them home safely. They will thank you.
If the friend passes out, do not assume that they have just drunk too much – get them to Emergency. If they are having difficulty breathing, call 911.
