Chemsex First Aid Guide

[adannyboy]

Tw: drugs

 

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Hiya MF! <3

Took a break from a lot of online things after that sesta mess. Being in PS for the weekend event inspired me to get back on and see how it’s going. Loving on the new formats.

 

I’ve been sharing this document that I read about that came from the UK. A harm reduction counselor named David Stuart co-wrote this amazing basic “First Aid” guide for folks who use drugs during their sexy times. Mr. Stuart is credited with coining the phrase “Chemsex” to describe encounters in which gay men use drugs to enhance their sexual experiences and the reasons behind it. He is featured in the VICE documentary of the same name. (It’s on pornhub for free if you’d like to check it out. I found it a tad sensationalist, but it’s VICE)

 

David is a former escort and drug user who became hiv positive as a teen and had run ins with the law due to his drug use.

 

He found that there weren’t any places in London where drug use counseling could be framed within the context of gay men’s sexual health and the queer sexual health services were not adequately addressing the needs of people who use drugs.

 

So he set out to change that. He helped develop a testing center where queer men could get counseling if they chose along with their other STI/HIV/health services. This year, he published the guide. I love this document and am sharing it as widely as I can with his encouragement. I spoke to him for a podcast episode I’m putting together on the subject and I cannot wait to share it soon.

 

THE GUIDE:

https://www.davidstuart.org/chemsex-first-aid

 

The guide has been translated into a few languages with hopes of getting it translated into more. If you’re fluent in a language other than the ones listed and would be willing to lend a hand, you should send him a note. I found him to be very accessible.

 

This is a touchy (and heavy) subject for lots of people. Drug users face huge amounts shame and stigma for using. People in recovery who are in The sex trade can also find engaging clients difficult and triggering.

 

There’s a cycle that I’ve witnessed where sex workers who are open about use are avoided by regulars and other clients which leads to less income, then higher dependence on party clients, then more drug use and spiral, spiral, etc. They are mocked and belittled. Mugshots (if arrests happen) are shared on blogs and people talk about how good the person “used to be.”

 

sex workers and people who use drugs are dying. Frequently. Only then do they get a small amount of sympathy lined with a “they should’ve known better.” Stories about their deaths are full of homophobia and whore stigma and it infuriates me to no end.

 

This is not just war on drugs level bad news. It’s a whole other issue which I believe needs to be addressed compassionately by our own community of queer folks and their partners regardless of the presence of an exchange.

 

It would be great if you read the guide. Even if you don’t use. It talks about consent practice, overdose protocols and general safety. It gives some helpful language to use when discussing these things with friends and sexual partners.

 

From David’s site:

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One of the best resources we have, to keep ourselves and

our friends safe in chemsex environments, is each other.

Being skilled-up with harm reduction information and some First Aid skills – while remembering how vulnerable we can all be under the influence of chems - can improve our chances of avoiding accidents, overdoses and deaths. It can help keep ourselves, and the people we’re playing with, safer.”

 

 

And that’s what I live for

 

Thoughts publicly and privately are always welcome. I have secure communications at ProtonMail and Signal if it helps anyone.

 

Cheers!

[Dave]

Holy cow, this is helpful. Thank you, Danny, for sharing!

Like most escorts, sometimes I'll suddenly realize a client had used before our appointment. This guide will be particularly useful to me for those situations.

 

Come to Bali sometime, Danny - we can hang out on a beach and read the guide together, haha. Bali's a place where drugs are not only illegal but highly punishable (even death sentence for trafficking), homosexuality's NOT illegal, and healthy living and eating is easy to do

[rvwnsd]

Thanks for sharing this resource, @adannyboy.

 

I sincerely hope when two guys are engaging in "chemsex" and one gets too high the other has the presence of mind to follow the guide.

[+ nycman]

It’s not a bad guide, but it’s clearly written by someone with more “street”

smarts than real medical knowledge. Nonetheless, it’s better than nothing.

 

My guide:

If you’re worried....call 911.

Learn how to do good CPR and when to use it.

End.

 

My guide is much easier to remember and will save more lives.

[+ OliverSaks]

Trash post, dude. You clearly don’t understand the concept of harm reduction. I hope you are not a physician who treats pwud.

 

It’s not a bad guide, but it’s clearly written by someone with more “street”

smarts than real medical knowledge. Nonetheless, it’s better than nothing.

 

My guide:

If you’re worried....call 911.

Learn how to do good CPR and when to use it.

End.

 

My guide is much easier to remember and will save more lives.

[+ nycman]

Trash post, dude.

Wow....

 

Encouraging people to learn CPR and to call 911 when they're worried....is a “trash post”?

 

Hope you enjoy the delusion. It never ends pretty.

[adannyboy]

Wow....

 

Encouraging people to learn CPR and to call 911 when they're worried....is a “trash post”?.

 

It really is

[adannyboy]

Wow....

 

Encouraging people to learn CPR and to call 911 when they're worried....is a “trash post”?.

 

It really is

[adannyboy]

Wow....

 

Encouraging people to learn CPR and to call 911 when they're worried....is a “trash post”?.

 

It really is

[caliguy]

Trash post, dude. You clearly don’t understand the concept of harm reduction. I hope you are not a physician who treats pwud.

I'm a little lost here. What is the trash post? Seems like it was just common sense stuff that he posted.

[+ GregM]

My first aid is one don't do that shit. And if I feel someone is under the influence, WALK. I have a zero policy on hard drugs and over use of adult beverages. My safety is more important than a few hundred in cash.

 

Hugs,

Greg

[+ GregM]

My first aid is one don't do that shit. And if I feel someone is under the influence, WALK. I have a zero policy on hard drugs and over use of adult beverages. My safety is more important than a few hundred in cash.

 

Hugs,

Greg