On Jul 25, 6:13 am, ironjustice <teamtan...@hotmail.com>
wrote:profound public health implications <<

HIV and Crystal Meth: A Deadly Synergy

By Mara Burney

It's no secret that crystal methamphetamine is oozing eastward, into
urban areas, and up the socioeconomic ladder.  But with all the recent
media coverage, one has to wonder...is the meth epidemic something
novel, or is it just the same old story with a new drug playing the
lead role?  Skeptics and critics of the "War on Drugs" point out that
as long as demand exists for a drug, law enforcement is practically
powerless to prevent its use.  Some even suggest that the crystal
methamphetamine problem, which is for the moment gaining widespread
attention in the mainstream media, will plateau or decline (as with
crack after the 1980s), despite the ominous tone of news stories.

But there is a big difference between crystal methamphetamine and
other illicit drugs, one that makes it especially worthy of aggressive
intervention and attention by public health authorities and the media
alike: the intersection between the meth epidemic and the HIV/AIDS
epidemic.

Crystal meth is a highly addictive nervous system stimulant that can
be snorted, smoked, injected, or swallowed.  Because the drug
simultaneously increases sexual drive, enhances the sexual experience,
and decreases inhibitions, meth use often means that safer sex
practices are abandoned, putting users at much greater risk for HIV
and other sexually transmitted infections.(1)  For this reason, meth
has the potential to undo a lot of the progress that has been made
since the onset of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in encouraging safe-sex
practices.  Research on gay and bisexual men especially indicates a
"condom fatigue" in that community, especially at "circuit parties" in
big cities, which sometimes host as many as 80,000 participants, 25%
of whom report being HIV-positive and 43% of whom report using crystal
meth at the parties.  An astounding 39% of these HIV-positive men
report engaging in unprotected anal intercourse during the parties.
(2)  Alarmingly, data from the L.A. Gay and Lesbian Center Survey in
2004 show that nearly one third of men testing positive for HIV report
having used crystal meth since their last test (or in the last two
years, whichever was most recent), and gay men in California who use
meth are more than twice as likely to be HIV-positive than those who
don't.(3)  The "use a condom every time" message doesn't seem to be
getting through as well as it used to, and many think that meth's
judgement-impairing effect is partially to blame.  In other words, no
amount of traditional sex education can be effective if this drug
makes users abandon everything they have learned.

Meth use is also quite prevalent among gay and bisexual men already
infected with HIV.  Meth poses additional dangers for this group
because addiction can lead to a lapse in taking medications (which can
lead to treatment resistance), weight loss, and vitamin depletion.
According to the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, meth use
can also "suppress immune system responses to HIV or other infections,
cause dangerous interactions with HIV medications, increase HIV viral
activity, and accelerate HIV-related dementia and other health
problems."(4)

This is not to say that gay and bisexual men are the only ones using
meth -- nothing could be further from the truth -- but this group
warrants special attention because of the documented relationship
between meth use and HIV transmission.  Unprotected receptive anal
intercourse with multiple partners is the most likely mode of HIV
transmission.  Because crystal meth deadens pain receptors, users are
even more likely to engaged in prolonged, rough, and repeated
encounters, which can lead to torn tissue and increase vulnerability
to transmission.

According to the Gay Men's Health Crisis, those in the gay community
often fall prey to meth use because of unique social or psychological
pressures; meth bestows a feeling of belonging, sexiness, and
confidence upon the user.  Training for addiction-treatment
professional aimed at addressing the feelings of low self-esteem and
alienation that abet addiction would be a logical first step in
loosening meth's grip on the gay community.  The integration of
addiction treatment, HIV intervention, and mental health services is
also critical.

Methamephetamine use is not just an issue of drug policy -- it is an
issue of communicable disease transmission and should be treated as
such.  Confronting the HIV epidemic without an effective anti-crystal-
meth program is like trying to reduce heart disease without tackling
cigarette smoking.  Because no proven pharmacological intervention yet
exists for this highly addictive drug, the development of harm
reduction strategies and cognitive behavioral therapies is crucial.
Here's hoping that no matter what their political stance regarding the
"War on Drugs," the gatekeepers of policy, financial resources, and
logistical knowhow will come to see crystal meth as a public health
priority.

(1)Ghaziani, A. and D. Cook.  "Reducing HIV Infections at Circuit
Parties: From Description to Explanation and Principles of
Intervention Design."  J Int Assoc Physicians AIDS Care.  4 (1); 2005,
pp. 32-46.
(2) ibid.
(3) Hereida, C.  "Crystal Meth Fuels HIV."  San Francisco Chronicle.
May 4, 2003.
(4) Health Bulletin: Methamphetamine and HIV.  Health and Mental
Hygeine News (NYC DOHMH), April 2004.
(5) "Confronting Crystal Methampetamine Use in New York City."  Gay
Men's Health Crisis, New York, July 2004.

Mara Burney is a research associate with the American Council on
Science and Health (ACSH.org, HealthFactsAndFears.com).  Also: a new
report confirms that meth users are three times as likely to acquire
HIV, as noted in the San Francisco Chronicle.

This information was found online at:
http://www.acsh.org/factsfears/newsID.615/news_detail.asp

Who loves ya.
Tom

Jesus Was A Vegetarian!
http://tinyurl.com/2r2nkh

Man Is A Herbivore!
http://tinyurl.com/4rq595

DEAD PEOPLE WALKING
http://tinyurl.com/zk9fk