More and more gay men are turning to needles to inject drugs and sexual enhancers (slamming). Many do not realise that they also run a high risk of HIV and hepatitis. So it's high time to practise the safer use rules in order to reduce the risks when injecting. By Florian Winkler-Ohm
For many gay men, alcohol and other drugs have always been part of (sex) parties. Recently, however, needles and cannulas - which are "traditionally" associated with heroin addicts - have become increasingly common in places where men have sex with men.
Splashing is now called slamming
When slamming, many users inject themselves with methamphetamine - also known as crystal meth, tina, ice or tweak. The drug was developed in Japan at the end of the 19th century. During the Second World War, German soldiers used it en masse under the name Pervitin. It was intended to wake soldiers up and suppress their fears in battle - it became known as "Panzerschokolade" or "Stuka-Tablette".
Crystal meth has been on the rise again in the party scene for around two years - at least according to media reports. More and more people are consuming it by syringe, i.e. intravenously. In the past, it was usually smoked, swallowed or vaped. The reason: more desire, more intense sex, staying "fit" for longer. But this often leads to insomnia for days on end.
A study by the Centre for Interdisciplinary Addiction Research at the University of Hamburg is currently investigating the spread and consequences of meth use on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Health.
Crystal is quickly addictive. It can severely damage the body and mind in the long term. But there are also risks apart from the direct effects. The drug lowers pain thresholds and increases the willingness to take risks. This leads to long, hard sessions - often without condoms. Mucous membranes are heavily contaminated. This increases the risk of HIV, hepatitis and other infections.
According to studies, up to 75 % of crystal users are HIV-positive. HIV medication is often forgotten during long sessions. This can lead to resistance and make a new therapy necessary.
When the syringe is cheaper than Viagra
But it's not just drugs that are increasingly being injected. More and more gay men are also injecting drugs such as Caverject or Androskat into their penile erectile tissue to achieve reliable potency; this is now cheaper than Viagra and comparable substances. The effect is an erection lasting one to two hours - if used and dosed correctly. Overdosing and hypersensitivity to the erection-promoting active ingredients can lead to a painful permanent erection. If this lasts longer than four hours, there is a risk of damage to the penile tissue, which can lead to permanent loss of erectile function, among other things.
But these are not the only risks associated with potency injections. As the contents last for up to three applications, it is not uncommon for syringes to be passed on to one or more partners during a sex session. Tibor Harrach, pharmacist and drug expert, warns urgently against this "needle sharing": "A small amount of bleeding can occur at the injection site during the injection. This can increase the risk of transmitting the infection to a partner in patients who suffer from a blood-borne infectious disease. With hepatitis B and C in particular, even an invisibly small amount of blood is enough to cause an infection."
Never share your syringe with anyone else
Harrach calls for clear prevention messages - just as they have been for years for heroin users. The most important sentence for him: "Never share your syringe with anyone else."
Instead of focusing on accusations and moral condemnation, he pleads for education, counselling and an accepting approach to the scene.
He also advises vaccinations against hepatitis A and B as well as regular tests for hepatitis C. If hepatitis C is recognised early, chronicity can usually be prevented - and the infection of other people can also be avoided.
You can find information on minimising risks when using drugs and important rules for dealing with various substances on our Drugs topic page. You can find instructions on how to do this in the "Safer Use" brochure. You can download this download here.
More exciting articles:
