Chemsex has been big news within the world of gay men for several years now. Chemsex is often referred to as Party-and-Play, or simply PNP.

In simple terms, Chemsex is using drugs to enhance your sexual experience. It’s the opposite of sober sex. The drugs involved are usually methamphetamine, mephedrone, or   GHB/GBL. These are drugs that make you horny, they help you lose your inhibitions, and they let you feel like you can have sex like a porn star.

The downsides of Chemsex can include an increased risk of sexually transmitted infections, as well as wide-ranging health and social impacts. The drugs involved in Chemsex are highly addictive, and their use can sometimes lead to an endless chase of the next high and an unquenchable thirst for even more intense sexual satisfaction.

Is Chemsex unique to gay men?

Writing in Drugs and Alcohol Today, health expert David Stuart explains that while the connection between drugs and alcohol and sex is nothing new, what makes Chemsex something that is unique to gay men is the cultural factors that impact the enjoyment of gay sex. Examples of these factors include:

• – Societal attitudes of homosexuality – particularly the ones that manifest as a disgust of the gay sex act.
• – Cultural and religious attitudes to homosexuality.
• – The trauma and stigma of the AIDS epidemic.
• – The technological/sexual revolution that occurred with the arrival of hook-up apps and smartphone technology.
• – A gay-specific rejection culture born of hook-up apps associated with gay tribes, body shape and fitness, race, sexual performance expectations, plus an ability to “market” oneself in order to be successful within that culture.
• – From all of the above, can be derived a concept of risk and danger associated with gay sex.

In Stuart’s clinical experience, he’s found that Chemsex isn’t always a problem, but when it is, that problem is most often the ability to feel free and disinhibited during gay sex. Additional problems can emerge and result from the use of the drugs independently – which can be managed often by harm reduction practices – but the reasons for using the drugs are the pursuit of pleasure, which can often be difficult or challenging for gay men, many of whom struggle to achieve disinhibition from cultural obstacles that can make the enjoyment of gay sex, quite complicated. Chemsex isn’t just about the drugs, Chemsex is a sexual phenomenon fuelled by the highs and lows of the gay experience.

The 2017 survey

Back in 2017, we conducted a survey of over 22,000 Squirt.org members, to ask about their experience with Chemsex. What this showed us is that Chemsex is something that most gay men are encountering at some point in their hook-ups.

One of the interesting things about Chemsex is that this is generally something that happens in private spaces, behind closed doors. In our 2017 survey, guys reported that Chemsex was generally something that happened either in their own home or at a private party in someone else’s home.

A key driver of the geography of Chemsex is the way that guys use technology and hook-up apps to connect with each other. If you’re looking for sex, you no longer have to go to public spaces or cruising spots. That search can be done online, and a private party can be organised quickly and efficiently.

The consent question

One of the problematic aspects of having drug-fuelled sexual encounters – or being at a private party where the drugs are out and everyone is getting a bit loose – is that boundaries and judgement all tend to get a bit blurred.

In our 2017 survey, we asked respondents how much they remember after a Chemsex session. The majority of respondents felt fairly confident that they remember everything, but there was also a considerable number of guys who admitted to having incomplete memories of what went down.

Presenting the results of the study that was published in the British Medical Journal, researchers Ward, McQuillan, and Evans reported that 42.9% of Chemsex users in their study reported non-consensual sex.

If you are high on drugs that enable you to lose your inhibitions, how does that impact your ability to consent to who you have sex with and how you have sex with them? What responsibilities do we have to the men that we are sharing our Chemsex encounters with? If you’re at a private Chemsex party, what are the rules when it comes to consent?

Need some help with Chemsex?

If you or someone you know if finding it difficult to manage their Chemsex encounters, try and speak to drug and alcohol specialists who understand what Chemsex is and the complexity involved. Your local sexual health service will probably be able to refer you to an appropriate specialist, or search online for support services designed for gay men grappling with Chemsex issues.