Chemsex Substance Specific Harm Reduction
Substance Specific Harm Reduction
If we gave harm reduction information about every drug that people use to enhance their sexual experiences, this issue of User’s News would be a couple of hundred pages long! Instead of trying to cover every single base, we instead decided to focus on some of the drugs that are more commonly-used in chemsex settings - methamphetamine, poppers/amyl, GHB, and erectile dysfunction medication such as Viagra and Cialis
Viagra and other ED Drugs
Men who PnP often use medications such as Viagra (Sildenafil), Cialis (tadalafil), Levitra (Vardenafil). These meds, and others which are similar, are prescribed to men to treat erectile dysfunctions (ED; when you can’t keep/stay hard during sex).
When you take Viagra and other ED drugs, they relax your muscles and boost blood flow to the penis. In a chemsex setting, using ED meds can allow for longer sessions when having sex and can delay orgasms. Taking these drugs reduces your blood pressure, which means you must be cautious of what other drugs you’re taking. As a general rule, avoid ED meds if you’ve had a heart attack, stroke, irregular heart rate or other heart/cardiovascular issues within the past 6 months.
Mixing Viagra, Cialis or Levitra with alkyl nitrites can lead to a sharp drop in blood pressure – even if taken a day apart. The sudden drop in blood pressure can be extreme in some cases, leading to loss of consciousness or even death. If this happens, the person requires immediate medical attention – call 000!
Seek immediate medical assistance if you have a boner that lasts more than 4 hours and happens without sexual stimulation. Priapism is the medical term for when blood gets trapped in a person’s penis and can’t flow out – often, priapism occurs when a person takes a large dose of ED meds. Priapism can lead to permanent penile injury or erectile dysfunction.
According to the law, Viagra, Cialis and Levitra are Schedule 4 substances, meaning they are prescription only medicines.
“Amyl” + Alkyl Nitrites
Generally just called ‘amyl’ or ‘poppers’, alkyl nitrites are a family of inhalant drugs which are commonly used as sex aids, as well as for recreation.
Alkyl nitrites, or ‘poppers’, are type of inhalant drug that affects the heart and blood circulatory system. Although usually just called ‘amyl’ or ‘amyl nitrite’, there is actually loads of alkyl nitrites which are sold as poppers. These include amyl nitrite, butyl nitrite, alkyl nitrite, isobutyl nitrite, and many others. You may know them by their brand names, such as Jungle Juice, Rush, Black Magic or something else.
These products aren’t approved for human consumption, so when sold in Australia they have generally been labelled as another product, such as a ‘room odoriser’ or ‘leather cleaner’. However, the laws around this changed in February 2020, and there will soon be a regulated product available for purchase at pharmacies.
Poppers are sold as a liquid in small glass bottles. Once the bottle is open, the liquid starts to evaporate as it comes in contact with air. When the vapour is inhaled, poppers causes strong but short-lasting effects. Alkyl nitrites are not physically dependence forming.
Positive effects: head-rush, euphoria, increased sex drive and skin sensitivity, vasodilation
Undesirable effects: Feeling sick/faint, unco, nosebleed, headache, chest pains, potential erectile dysfunction, increased intraocular pressure, tachycardia. Some alkyl nitrites are more dangerous than others, and isopropyl nitrite in particular has been strongly linked to vision problems/intraocular pressure.
Amyl and Sex
Amyl relaxes smooth muscles tissue around blood vessels, causing the blood vessels to dilate. As amyl relaxes muscles in the anus and vagina, it is sometimes used during sex to make penetration easier.
Many people report amyl enhances sexual experiences, increasing their sex drive, the intensity of sex and making orgasms last longer. However, some people find that amyl makes it hard for them to keep an erection, due to the drop in blood pressure it causes.
As well as its physical effects, many people also use amyl for its disinhibitory effects – like alcohol and GHB, amyl shuts the part of your brain up that tells you “maybe this isn’t a great idea”. Be aware of this effect when using amyl nitrites – otherwise you may find yourself taking risks you otherwise wouldn’t, or agreeing to something you wouldn’t otherwise.
Amyl harms
Drop in blood pressure (especially combined with Viagra) can potentially make you collapse/ pass out
Poppers can cause serious damage to your eyes, by increasing optic pressure (the pressure in your eyeballs). Isopropyl nitrite is one of the nastier chemical compounds which is sold as poppers, and has been shown to particularly damaging to the eyes. If possible, avoid the following brands of poppers, which were last year identified as containing isoproyl nitrite: Berlin XXX, LIQUID GOLD, TRIP, SCREAM, & ‘Everest Enjoy It!’
Swallowing alkyl nitrites can be fatal! Safe storage key to avoid accidents – don’t keep your poppers in a drinking vessel, and make sure you don’t pass the bottle to someone who doesn’t know how to use them. If someone accidently swallows amyl, seek medical help immediately.
Liquid can burn skin on contact and an cause headaches and nose bleeds.
Alkyl nitrites are extremely flammable.
Do not use if you have heart conditions, glaucoma or anemia. If you feel any sort of pressure or pain in your eyes/head, stop using poppers immediately.
Recap the bottle after you huff, so that you don’t accidentally spill it during sex.
Don’t mix amyl with errectile dysfunciton medication. Some people find it hard to keep an erection on crystal, so may use a drug such as Viagra, Ciailis or Levitra. This is a dangerous combo – both drugs cause a drop in blood pressure that can lead to you collapsing, passing out, or even having a heart attack. A cock-ring can do the same thing though, without putting unnecessary strain on your heart. • Amyl increases your heart rate, meaning it can be dangerous to mix with stimulants such as meth, speed, cocaine or MDMA. If you feel your heart racing and pumping HARD, stop using amyl, don’t redose on stimulants for a while, and maybe take some time out to let your body relax a bit.
Pro-tips with Poppers:
“If you're snorting poppers while having sex, there's a chance that the heady, sex-beast rush may make you lead you to risky sex - so slap on a condom before you break out the amyl.”
“Try to minimise taking it with other stimulants (coke, speed, E etc.) as it could put too much strain on your heart. The liquid is also highly flammable so be careful with your spliff!”
“Health risks: Anybody who suffers from circulatory problems or from low blood pressure should be particularly wary of this substance. Using poppers can be a serious health risk for those with heart trouble, breathing problems, or anaemia and glaucoma. Always wash off any amyl that spills on your skin and never drink the stuff - it is highly poisonous.”
METHAMPHETAMINE
One of the more common drugs used in chemsex scenes. Crystal meth is often called crystal, tina, ice, shard, crack, or shabbu/shabs. In its powdered form, methamphetatmine is more commonly referred to as speed, gakk, or goey.
Methamphetamine is a stimulant drug, meaning it speeds up the nerve signals in your brain and between your brain and body. People say they use meth in chemsex settings because it makes the sex better, gives them increased confidence and focus, and can allow for longer PnP sessions because of the extra energy/drive it gives them.
Methamphetamine is one of the strongest stimulant drugs around, in terms of how it affects our mind and body. Methamphetamine stimulates the release of dopamine, noradrenaline, and serotonin from nerve cells in the brain. It is quickly and completely absorbed by the brain which is why the high comes on so quickly and intensely. Methamphetamine is dependence-forming. Some studies suggest that smoking or injecting methamphetamine is more dependence-forming than snorting or swallowing it.
Blood-borne viruses
It’s important to be aware of blood-borne viruses such as HIV and hep C when using methamphetamine. Sharing straws, pipes and injecting equipment increases the risk of blood-blood contact, which is how these viruses spread. If using meth, make sure to pack your own kit – using your own equipment for injecting/smoking meth is an important way to reduce your risk of catching or passing on a BBV.
Mixing meth with other drugs
When we take stimulants, our blood pressure and heart rate both rise sharply. For this reason, its suggested not to combine meth with other stimulants, as it can lead to increased strain on your heart and increases the neurotoxicity of both drugs (how much damage the drug does to your brain. Mixing meth with stimulants also increases your risk of amphetamine toxicity, which can lead to anxiety, paranoia, and psychosis.
It’s not advised to mix meth with depressant drugs either, such as GHB, alcohol or opioids. Doing so can increase your risk of heart strain, put you at risk of depressant overdose when the meth wears off, and increases your risk of meth overdose as you may have impaired judgement or feel like you need to do more to get the same effects.
Amphetamine toxicity
When you take meth and other amphetamines, it can allow you to stay awake for longer periods of time than you would otherwise. However, this can lead to serious issues, including sleep deprivation. If you keep using stimulant drugs for an extended period of time, you could also go into amphetamine toxicity.
Amphetamine toxicity can cause a range of mental effects, including anxiety, paranoia, fear, aggression, hallucinations and psychosis. Methamphetamine in particular has a greater risk of triggering amphetamine toxicity because of how strong it is, and because people often use large amounts over extended periods.
Avoiding Amphetamine Toxicity
If you learn to recognize the early signs of amphetamine toxicity, you can cut down or stop using for a while to reduce the risk. It’s time to stop using and think about getting some sleep if: • You are having strange or disturbing thoughts that won’t go away • You start feeling suspicious of your friends or other people • You feel like people are out to get you • You are seeing things that other people can’t see, or hearing things other people can’t hear • You have been using meth for more than 3 days in a row.
Helping someone through amphetamine toxicity
Try move the person somewhere safe, away from bright lights, other people and too much noise. • Stay calm, avoid sudden movements. • Sit beside them, not in front of them. • Keep them warm, encourage them to drink water. Try get them to eat something. • Try to stop them using more meth or other drugs, even if they want to • Don’t argue with them no matter what they say – stay calm and validate their experiences. • If they are really out of control and might hurt themselves or someone else, call 000 and ask for an ambulance, or take them to a hospital.
GHB + GBL + 1,4-B
GHB, GBL and 1,4-B (pronounced ‘one, four, bee’) are depressant drugs. GBL and 1,4B are commonly sold as GHB in Australia – your body converts these substances to GHB. These drugs are all commonly referred to as GHB, but you might have also heard them referred to as ‘juice’, ‘mills’ (as in millilitres), ‘thick’ (for GHB), ‘thin’ (for GBL), or simply ‘G’.
GHB is used in chemsex scenes for its effects on the mind and body. People who use G often find it increases their sex drive and lowers their inhibition. It also decreases a person’s blood pressure, heart rate, and breathing.
GHB dosing will be different every time and is different for every person. G has an extremely steep dose/response curve, meaning a tiny amount can be enough to cause someone to overdose. For this reason, you need to be extremely cautious and accurate with your dosing – to measure your doses, we suggest getting an unused 3mL syringe barrel and a blunt drawing up tip. GHB will make the markings on the syringe barrel fade quickly, making it hard to accurately measure your dose, so use a new syringe for every session.
Batches of G can vary in strength and purity, so if you’re trying a new source, start with less than usual.
Because of the high risk of overdose, it’s suggested you only do GHB with people you trust, so you can keep an eye on how much everyone is taking, and how often. It’s easy to forget when you had your last dose and accidentally re-dose too soon. At the very minimum, wait at least 1 hour between redosing – you can run a lap timer on your phone or screenshot your lockscreen, so you know when your last charge was.
GHB has a stacking effect over multiple doses throughout a session, which means the second or third dose will have a stronger effect than the first. For this reason, it’s best to lower your dose slightly when redosing, e.g. first dose = 1 mL, second dose = 0.9 mL, third dose = 0.8 mL, etc.
G-Drop / Overdose
Overdoses on GHB (AKA a ‘G drop’) are common, and often fatal. A person can overdose on GHB alone, but they are much more likely to drop when combining G with other downers.
Mixing G with other downers, such as ketamine, benzos and opioids, greatly increases your risk of overdose, and should be avoided as much as possible.
Combining G with alcohol is likely to lead to nausea, vomiting, and overdose. GHB and alcohol effect the brain in similar ways, and greatly increase the effects of each other. This point cannot be overstated: it is STRONGLY recommended that you avoid combining GHB/GBL/1,4-B with alcohol.
To avoid accidental overdose, keep G in a small, glass bottle – something that can’t be confused for a drinking vessel. You can also add food dye, so people don’t mistake it as water.
Signs of a GHB overdose: inability to be woken from sleep, not making sense, sweating, vomiting, irregualar breathing, unable to stand, seizures, unconsciousness.
If you or someone else is experiencing overdose symptoms, there is no time to wait! Find out what drugs they’ve taken/let your friends know what drugs you’ve taken, and call 000 immediately to ask for an ambulance to your location.
Pro Tips for GHB + GBL + 1,4-B:
“If you’re ever unsure, or disagree with someone on the timing, stop and wait an hour before doing a dose.”
“If you’ve been drinking earlier in the evening, waiting at least a few hours and drinking water to help sober up before taking any G.”
“Putting a sheet of paper with people’s names, the time and the quantity of dose taken near the G can help you keep track of what you and friends have taken.”
“Store the G in a nondrinking container (such as an ashtray-style small bowl or a brown glass pipette bottle) so people don’t confuse it for a normal drink.”