UK: Study: Crystal meth linked to HIV rise

A new US study claims users of crystal methamphetamine are at least three times more likely to be infected with HIV than those who do not use the drug.

The study, which looked at 3,000 San Franciscans who received anonymous HIV tests in 2000 and 2001, claimed crystal meth users are likely to drop their inhibitions and engage in activities such as unprotected sex with multiple partners.

Of the 300 people in the study who admitted using crystal meth, 6 percent had recently been infected with HIV. For those who said they used crystal meth during sexual encounters, the infection rate was close to 8 percent.

For those who said they had not used the drug, the HIV infection rate was 2 percent.

"Crystal meth use is the newest and most important threat to the HIV epidemic in the United States," Dr James Dilley, director of the University of California-San Francisco AIDS Health Project, said in a prepared statement published by the San Francisco Chronicle.

While the study involved only San Franciscans, health officials in other US cities are concerned about seeing similar trends.

Brent Pendleton, the prevention supervisor at the Montrose Clinic in Houston, said, "We are seeing something similar. The numbers are trending up."

Pendleton added that the clinic was beginning a study similar to the one conducted in San Francisco.

"It is a complicated problem requiring a carefully planned response," UCSF's Dilley said. "Having doctors, public health officials, policy makers and, most importantly, community members working together is the only means of success."

Russell Westacott, associate director of the Institute for Gay Men's Health at Gay Men's Health Crisis (GMHC) told the Gay.com/PlanetOut Network that he had seen a connection between HIV infection and crystal meth use in the New York City area.

"There's a lot of interest and focus on crystal meth, but I would say that crystal meth is not the only substance that leads to unsafe sex."

"It could be alcohol, it could be ecstasy, it could be anything," Westacott said.

In the UK, new initiatives have been launched to ensure crystal meth does not see the same level of widespread use on the gay scene.

Additionally, health workers are calling for more to be done to block the growth of the drug amongst Britain’s gay communities, fearing that a similar rise in STDs and conditions associated with the drug will soon be felt here.

Newshawk: http://www.napnt.org/amphetablog.html
Pubdate: Wed, 17th August 2005
Source: Gay.com (UK)
Author: Christopher Curtis, Gay.com/PlanetOut.com Network
Copyright: 2005 Gay.com Interactive Services
Website: http://uk.gay.com/