INDULGENCES health lab by dr. joel
GHB. AKA “G,” “liquid X,” “nitro.”
Gamma-hydroxy-buttyrate is actually found naturally in your body and seems
to have something to do with sleep, temperature and memory. It was originally designed as an anasthetic, but wasn’t that useful. By 2000, it was implicated in a number of deaths, and had become popular as a “date rape” drug, so it was classi- fied as a Schedule I substance. Most GHB users are seeking a euphoric effect, with a decrease in inhibitions. Chemically, GHB is “easy” to make, but it’s difficult to control the strength, leading to frequent overdoses. In overdose, GHB can lead to amnesia, low temperatures and even a coma. I once saw a patient so out of it from GHB that he was completely unresponsive—all he did was breathe. We were about to put him on a ventilator until his friend told us what happened.
Rohypnol. AKA “Mexican Valium,” “roofies.”
Rohypnol is a cousin of Valium, specifically its faster, and 10 times stronger
cousin. It is made legally as flunitrazepam and is used medically in other countries. Right now, it is on DEA Schedule IV, which means it has some legitimate uses and isn’t abused as much as some other drugs, but it’s still a controlled substance and illegal without a prescription, which you won’t get in the U.S., because the Food and Drug Administration hasn’t approved it for anything! Roofies reduce anxiety, muscle tension and inhibitions. At higher doses, it causes “anterograde amnesia,” meaning you forget what happens AFTER you take it, leading to some use as a “date rape” drug. Some people experience a reverse effect, leading to confusion and aggressive behavior.
What NOT to Do!
THE RAMIFICATIONS OF PARTY DRUGS
I know a lot of gay boys who don’t eat much in March as gym worshippers are
preparing their bodies for the White Party. Given the time spent sculpting body and eyebrows, most boys consider time spent asleep or alone to be a waste of hard work. For some, a Vodka Red Bull is enough to keep their energy up and their inhibitions down, but others look to recreational drugs. These drugs are illegal, can be very dangerous, and I don’t recommend their use. (I don’t even medically recommend the Vodka Red Bull). Knowledge is power, and it’s probably safer if you have some idea what you’re getting into. So here is a primer on the pills at the White Party.
Ecstasy. AKA MDMA, “X,” “Wanna Roll?”
Ecstasy is a stimulant from the methamphetamine family and was originally
developed as an appetite suppressant. Later, psychiatrists looked at using the drug in therapy, but it was made a “Schedule I” substance in 1985. (Schedule I is the Drug Enforcement Agency’s (DEA) way of saying a drug has high abuse potential and no accepted medical use). Ecstasy basically floods your nervous system with serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine and helps keep them there. Usually, this leads to energy and agitation at first, then the euphoria and sense of inti- macy. Unfortunately, it also can lead to a rapid heart rate, sweating, dangerously elevated body temperature, muscle breakdown and liver and kidney failure. It can also make you drink so much water that your sodium gets dangerously low. If you make it through all that unscathed, you might be depressed the next couple of days, as you’ve depleted all your serotonin and dopamine.
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RAGE monthly | APRIL 2010
Cocaine. AKA “Blow,” “Candy,” “Snow.”
Cocaine has been stimulating people since people in the Andes Mountains
started chewing the cocoa leaf. Its first, and most common, medical use was as a local anesthetic, and many of our newer ones (xylocaine, bupivacaine) are derived from it. It’s a stimulant, like ecstasy, and increases levels of serotonin and norepi- nephrine in a slightly different way. And yes, it was part of the original Coca-Cola formula. Cocaine is a frequently abused drug, but has medical uses, so it is cater- gorized as Schedule II. Users are usually looking for a rush of energy and elation. Once in the bloodstream, it puts many body systems into overdrive, including the heart and blood vessels. Cocaine use can lead to seizures, heart attacks and even strokes or brain hemorrhages from extremely high blood pressure. Here is a quick word about the sex that comes with the drugs and music. Of
185 men willing to be surveyed after the 2003 White Party, 50 percent reported having sexual relations with at least one partner. Seems low to me, but that’s not the scary number. 20 percent of HIV (+) men did NOT disclose their status to part- ners, though it’s not clear they were always even asked. These drugs are illegal, medically dangerous and I recommend you don’t use them. I recommend your friends not use them. But if you do, watch for people who are too high, too hot or just too out of it. If they are, get them to a doctor. And be honest with the doctors about what they took…it can make a HUGE difference. And whether you’re using a social lubricant or not, make sure you’re using a condom. Happy hunting!
REFERENCES:
American Family Physician. June 1, 2004. 2619-2627.
AIDS Care. November, 2006. 1046-1049. uptodate.com justice.gov/dea Information on drug addiction can be found at drugfree.com
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