Club Drug and Poly-Substance Abuse and HIV Among Gay/Bisexual Men

There is concern about a resurgence of HIV infection related to the dramatic increase of “club drug” use (i.e., methamphetamine, Ecstasy, GHB, and ketamine) in the last decade among gay/bisexual men. This paper describes the community assessment and research efforts of the Substance Use Risk Exploration Project (SURE), which used complementary methods to describe salient dynamics involved in poly-substance abuse among gay and bisexual men in western Washington State and the south San Francisco Bay Area, California. Investigators discovered high prevalence of use of such substances in tandem with reported unsafe sex practices. The findings suggest complex social, historical and behavioral dynamics that influence the initiation and continuation of use. These factors have implications for professional and community education, prevention, outreach and treatment efforts.