YesSireeeBob
Well-known member
- Joined
- Sep 21, 2007
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Record 512 HIV cases diagnosed in the State in 2016
Is it time for gays to be discouraged from engaging in sexual activity?
People are warned about dangerous behavior all the time - speeding, drinking, smoking ect.
Surely for their own sake and the sake of the health service, an advertising campaign should be launched concerning the dangers of gay sex.
Is it time for gays to be discouraged from engaging in sexual activity?
People are warned about dangerous behavior all the time - speeding, drinking, smoking ect.
Surely for their own sake and the sake of the health service, an advertising campaign should be launched concerning the dangers of gay sex.
A record 512 cases of HIV were diagnosed in the State last year.
I think there is certain logic to the idea that the growing number of HIV diagnoses could be because of sexual activity such as chemsex [the consumption of drugs to facilitate sexual activity].
We are concerned about the growing culture of chemsex here in Ireland, said Mr Mulligan. Chemsex definitely is an issue and is certainly on the increase in Ireland.
In the UK, unprotected sex and communal drug use at chemsex parties are partly to blame for the high levels of HIV infection which has been at around 6,000 people a year since 2009 as well as the growing epidemic of syphilis, gonorrhea, and a new infection called lymphogranuloma venerium (LGV).
When we talk about chemsex we talk about parties where there are multiple sexual activities within a group.
You are dealing with drugs that loosen the inhibitions and we see this in particular with gay men.
In a recent survey, the Gay Health Network (GHN) reported that 27 per cent of respondents admitted using crystal meth, GHB, GBL, mephedrone or other NPS (new psychoactive substances) to facilitate sex.
G the term for depressant-type drugs GHB and GBL was the most commonly used drug for chemsex, with 57 per cent of those engaging in chemsex having used the substance within the past 12 months.
There has been an utter surge in cases of gonorrhoea, syphilis and with people coming to me with anxiety about HIV in the past 12 months.
People became very afraid of HIV in the 1970s and the 1980s; people became very careful with their sexual activity.
Infections like syphilis and gonorrhea had virtually disappeared, but then fast forward 20-30 years and we are seeing an epidemic.