Sexstacy - Gay 'Recreational' Drug Use On The Rise
Unnecessary use of erectile drugs like Viagra seems to be on the upswing.
Part of the blame falls on marketing campaigns, said Dr. Jeffrey Klausner, an epidemiologist at the San Francisco Department of Public Health, who co-authored a study on the recreational use of the drugs, which also include Levitra and Cialis.
"I think its been marketed in such a way that people associated the use of drugs like Viagra with more sexual power, more machismo, more sex appeal," he said. "Selling the drug as a sexual enhancer will cause people to try it and use it."
It worked on model Carmen Electra and her rocker-husband, Dave Navarro of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. They both took the drug on their wedding night.
"We both did because we just thought it would give us a little extra, you know, I don't know, something," Electra said, on an episode of "Late Night With Conan O'Brien," which aired Jan. 19.
The drugs seem to be particularly popular among gay and bisexual men.
Klausner worked on a study completed in 2002, which found that 20 percent to 30 percent of men who have sex with men reported use of erectile drugs. The biggest increase in use has been among men between the ages of 20 and 45. Usage among older men has remained fairly stable, which also suggests an increase in recreational use of the drug, Klausner said.
More than half of the recreational users in the survey reported that they got the drugs from friends or on the street.
"Among those that do get it from the doctor, it's very easy," Klausner said. "Many doctors don't feel comfortable taking a sexual history."
Some recreational users take erectile drugs as a way to combat the effects of other drugs such as alcohol, cocaine or Esctasy. It's often used particularly with methamphetamine, which is known to cause increased sexual desire while inhibiting the ability to get an erection, Klausner said.
Mixing drugs and erectile medication can be particularly dangerous, and the problem compounds itself when people obtain the drugs illegally without medical consultation.
"There's a reason they're controlled, and you're required to get a prescription ... and that reason is personal safety and medical oversight," said Lt. J. Wayne Sears of the Rocky Mount Police Department. "They're taking a chance with their health as well as breaking the law."
Keeping the drugs in the hands of people who legitimately need them, can be tough. There is no definitive test for erectile dysfunction.
There is something called the stamp test, said Dr. Chris Petrus of Rocky Mount Urology Associates.
Patients wrap their penises with special stamps before they fall asleep. If they experience an erection while asleep, which most men commonly do, the seals on the stamps will be broken. Still, the test relies on the honesty of the patient.
"The main thing is they have to have a history of erectile disfunction," Petrus said. "They complain of being able to not get an erection or not be able to maintain one long enough to get an orgasm."
Recreational use of the drug is a widespread problem, Sears said. In pharmacies, the drugs sell for about $10 a tablet. On the black market, they start at $10. Sears warned that many of the drugs are counterfeit. They may have the proper markings and color, but not contain any — or perhaps only a portion — of the proper drug.
Fraud is also an issue, particularly online.
It could be outright fraud, where customers don't receive the pills they've ordered, or they may receive a counterfeit drug. Sometimes, a play on words may lead some people to believe they're receiving Viagra when they might be getting an herbal remedy.
When buying pills online, Sears recommends sticking with well-known, well-established pharmacies who use e-business as a part of a larger operation. By law, all sites selling erectile drugs must require a prescription.
Klausner believes that a change in marketing and stronger oversight of the drugs must be implemented.
"We've had some success and some sobering of the marketing, but certainly nothing that's been adequate to stem the increase in recreational use," Klausner said.
Possession of Viagra without a prescription is a Class I misdemeanor punishable by up to two years in prison and up to a $500 fine. The illegal sale of the drugs is a Class I felony, and it's punishable on a case-by-case basis depending on the seller's prior record, Sears said.
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Interesting to read how these types of things get started, i also wasnt aware that possesion of Viagra without a prescription was a felony.
Regards,
Lee
