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The Many Faces of Meth: |
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(Source: Multnomah County Sheriff's Office - Faces of Meth™) |
Surfing the Web to Prevent Meth Use Among Gay Men
Outreach workers from the group Positive Health Project spend their nights surfing gay websites in an attempt to intervene with black and Latino men looking to "party-n-play" -- use crystal meth and have sex -- the New York Times reported Feb. 21.
"Not everyone's happy with the bait-and-switch, but there aren't many ways to get people's attention," said outreach worker Terry Evans. "Sometimes a guy will get hostile, but then he'll come back later to ask me questions." Evans has succeeded in getting several men to join a support group for black and Latino gay men who are using meth and are at high risk of contracting HIV.
Crystal meth is a popular party drug in the New York gay community, blamed for an increase in HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases. Use of the drug was once associated with white men, but has gained popularity among blacks and Latinos, as well. "The problem has been brewing for the past year, but now it's beginning to boil," said New York University researcher Perry N. Halkitis.
Interventions are challenged by the fact that meth use is even more stigmatized in the black and Latino community than among white gays. The New York Department of Health and Mental Hygiene has put Spanish-language ads on the radio targeting gay meth users and has sent volunteers into bars and clubs popular with gay Latinos, while groups like Harlem United have formed support groups for black men.
Besides going online, Evans brings his anti-meth and safe-sex messages to private sex parties. Sometimes he demonstrates condom use or talks about meth; other times, he gets ignored. "I don't judge people," he said. "I know I can't stop them from doing drugs, but at least I can make sure they're safe when they're doing them."
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