Club Drugs & AIDS-HIV

The phrase club drugs may bring to mind disco balls and raves, but don't be mistaken.

The hot club drugs that are being used today are more likely to be found in a friends living room or at a quiet social gathering than at a trendy night spot.

What are club drugs
These are drugs that are used for recreation. The high, like an alcohol buzz, may make you feel good by removing inhibitions and shyness. The most common recreational drugs around now are:

Methamphetamine (crystal methamphetamine, tina, crystal meths, krank, tweak, ice)
MDMA (Ecstasy, E, X, XTC, Rolls, Beans, Adam)
Ketamine (k, vitamin K, special K)
Rohypnol (rophy, circles, Mexican valium, rib, roach-2, roofies, roopies, rope, ropies, ruffies, R-2, roaches)
Cocaine (blow, coke, Big C, crack)

Club drugs are often combined with others, like Viagra, to heighten sexual pleasure.

AIDS - HIV & Club Drugs
The link these drugs have to AIDS is deadly serious. What they all have in common is reducing your ability to make good decisions while removing your inhibitions. Unprotected sex is a common result of partying with club drugs, especially if they are mixed with Viagra type drugs.

While the fight against AIDS has brought many new treatments that can prolong life, there still is no cure and the disease is still as easy to get as it ever was. Years of repeating that unprotected sex is dangerous meant a drop in the number of new cases in developed countries, but that has lead to the idea that somehow AIDS is not a serious threat. That's just not true. Unprotected sex can lead to AIDS - and this is still a killer disease.

Club Drugs & Needles
Another HIV danger with club drugs comes when users discover that snorting does not get them high as quickly a smoking. The next step is injecting drugs directly for a faster buzz and longer lasting high. Sharing needles and works may seem a harmless party activity, but AIDS can be riding along on the shared needles. One night of partying may cost you more than you bargained for.

Club Drugs & HIV-AIDS Drugs
Zerit (Stavudine), Videx (Didanosine) and Sustiva (Efavirenz) are highly effective drugs that have made a big difference in the life span of HIV positive men and women. They need to be taken on a regular basis to be effective. It's extremely difficult to remember to take your medications when you're high. Skipping meds makes them not work the way they are meant to and can cause a flare up of AIDS.

Using club drugs also has an impact on your immune system. Even if you do manage to remember to take your medication while you are partying, the medicine won't work as well because your immune system is compromised by the recreational drugs. Research has also shown that meth causes the HIV virus to replicate faster - especially in brain cells.

All of the experts warn that club drugs are bringing HIV and AIDS numbers back up. The next time you think about using drugs for some harmless fun...remember that. There is no morning after pill for AIDS. Is a little fun worth a lifetime of living with HIV?

Also see-> Sexually Transmitted Diseases | Men's Health

World AIDS Day

This information is intended as reference and not as medical advice.
All treatment decisions should be made by medical professionals.