NEWS
Little Blue Pills: Viagra Use And Gay Men
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Performing at peak level under pressure is clearly something Justin M. prizes. "I'm exclusively a top—and I want to be as good a top as possible," he said. "I was answering these ads online from guys who were power bottoms. My role was to go the distance and then some. I wanted to be Supertop." Taking Viagra on his way to the stranger's apartment was the ticket to becoming Supertop, like Clark Kent switching outfits in his phone booth.
But at some point Justin M.'s responsible recreational use of Viagra began to go wrong.
Viagra Takes a Public Hit
The abuse of Viagra by gay men is an old story, but it made new headlines last week when Los Angeles' AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) filed a lawsuit against Pfizer for "promoting Viagra as a party drug...leading to more infections with sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV." The group is asking the court to force the drug giant not only to replace its direct-to-consumer marketing with a "responsible use" campaign but, more to the point, to hand over an unspecified sum directly to AHF, the largest provider of services to people with HIV in California. Calling AHF "a victim of Pfizer's irresponsibility," the organization's head, Michael Weinstein, said, "We estimate that a majority of new infections in this country are related to the use of crystal meth, and the majority are also using Viagra."
(The CDC begs to differ. Not even a majority of new infections among men who have sex with men are associated with Viagra.)
Joining AHF is San Francisco Department of Public Health's STD chief Dr. Jeffrey Klausner, an archenemy of Viagra. "The promotion of Viagra for...recreational use must be stopped," he said. "Litigation is sometimes the only means available to the public to reverse unfair practices."
Pfizer predictably denied that it pushes its drug for recreational use, pointing out that Viagra ads and labels warn against STDs, including HIV. Less predictable was the immediate pushback from gay advocates and researchers. "The idea that people on speed are having wild sex with Viagra because they saw a halftime commercial during the Super Bowl is ridiculous," former San Francisco AIDS policy adviser Jeff Sheehy said. "I don't like direct-to-consumer TV ads, but the rest [of the suit] is just extortion." There are calls for investigations into AHF's funding practices, and some demands that "homophobic" Klausner resign. How could one little blue pill cause so many people to see red?
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But at some point Justin M.'s responsible recreational use of Viagra began to go wrong.
Viagra Takes a Public Hit
The abuse of Viagra by gay men is an old story, but it made new headlines last week when Los Angeles' AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) filed a lawsuit against Pfizer for "promoting Viagra as a party drug...leading to more infections with sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV." The group is asking the court to force the drug giant not only to replace its direct-to-consumer marketing with a "responsible use" campaign but, more to the point, to hand over an unspecified sum directly to AHF, the largest provider of services to people with HIV in California. Calling AHF "a victim of Pfizer's irresponsibility," the organization's head, Michael Weinstein, said, "We estimate that a majority of new infections in this country are related to the use of crystal meth, and the majority are also using Viagra."
(The CDC begs to differ. Not even a majority of new infections among men who have sex with men are associated with Viagra.)
Joining AHF is San Francisco Department of Public Health's STD chief Dr. Jeffrey Klausner, an archenemy of Viagra. "The promotion of Viagra for...recreational use must be stopped," he said. "Litigation is sometimes the only means available to the public to reverse unfair practices."
Pfizer predictably denied that it pushes its drug for recreational use, pointing out that Viagra ads and labels warn against STDs, including HIV. Less predictable was the immediate pushback from gay advocates and researchers. "The idea that people on speed are having wild sex with Viagra because they saw a halftime commercial during the Super Bowl is ridiculous," former San Francisco AIDS policy adviser Jeff Sheehy said. "I don't like direct-to-consumer TV ads, but the rest [of the suit] is just extortion." There are calls for investigations into AHF's funding practices, and some demands that "homophobic" Klausner resign. How could one little blue pill cause so many people to see red?
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4outof6 wrote:
I read this article hoping to find some concrete information about the dangers of recreation viagra use, but instead found typical American sex-phobic pap.
Mar 29 11:52 AM
musclrob wrote:
In response to your article, once again, the heterosexual ruling class is trying to moralize our sexual behaviour. People are their own reason they engage in risky behaviour, not because of any drugs. If anyone pointing the judgemental authoritative finger has bothered to study the biology of the human brain, and look to more rational reasons why anyone, not just gay men, are into risk taking behaviour they would leave the issue of viagra alone. I feel we are constantly made to apologize for who we are and what we do with our body parts--disguised as other issues. All kinds of people, gay and straight abuse viagra. And when one considers the numbers of straights compared to gays there is no doubt in my mind that the amount of straight people abusing this drug is greater--but no one classifies heterosexual casual sex as risky...hmmm. If we as a collective gay consciousness want to reason out why our brothers are engaging in self-destructive behaviour by abusing drugs, sex, etc. then we should have a more intelligent perspective instead of waving the judgemental fairy wand at our brethren. This is what is done to us constantly by heterosexuals. The truth is that this world is not made for people like us, and living in it can become very stressful for some. Without healthy coping mechanisms and social support people reach out for the usual unhealthy coping mechanisms to dissociate from their reality. It is not fair to blame viagra for this behaviour. It is like blaming a car for a bad driver. There are some gay men, like myself, who honestly need this drug. I am not ashamed to admit something like that because I do not moralize my body. As we age this is what can happen. So to encapsulate all gay men as viagra abusers is unfair. There are some of us, believe it or not, that are well adjusted human beings. We live and behave responsibly. We are the ones who constantly have to defend ourselves against this negative stereotyping. If I use a drug like this I use it respons
Feb 13 6:24 PM
lion wrote:
Bollox
its amaizing. and i have done it for 2 years, well i am 33 and my bf 70. sometimes i dont need it and sometimes a half is beta the the whole thing, but in all i think it is needed for our instant society, helps alot. i still get a stiffy without it, maybe even more. yes i think its addictive, but then i know the older people live with tablets all their life and keeps them alive. thats all they can talk of. .... question do you smpke drink or take blue pills, ......everything in excess. he heee
Feb 02 3:17 PM
cuttopman wrote:
I am a healthy in shape 48 year old gay white male. I have been out and practicing 30 years. I have an active social life and drink alcohol. Gave up ciarettes and coffee ten years ago, but am not a fanatic about anything. I do work out a couple times a week. A couple years ago I was playing with a guy 7 years older. He was doing Viagra everytime we played. I tried it. One day he left the whole bottle at my house and I took two. Yes I had a non stop hard on for two days but I felt ill and didn't enjoy it. I returned his script bottle and have abstained from Viagra since totally. I have to be really tired or stressed or both to fail to get hard. I wake with a woody every morning. I will say a not hot partner might not be a turn on but I'll really have to be turned off to try Viagra again. I really feel that America is a nation of hypocondriacs and that running to the doctors for every little complaint is unhealthy. I was raised by an MD and think the best bet at staying happy and healthy is staying away from the medical profession unless you are married or related to one or have a real issue!
Sincerely
BUFU
Still horny in PS
Feb 02 8:21 AM
LocksMan wrote:
Feb 02 6:12 AM
hughb wrote:
Very interesting, I have been thinking to try it! We all want a good stiffy! but am still not sure..it is great to read what appears to me to be a very balanced article.
Feb 01 10:06 AM
italmusclebkn wrote:
This is *my* perspective, that's all. You don't think SSRI use could possibly *cause* problems too? They adjust brain chemistry and behavior (of course the person on them isn't as likely to see that, because. And the article in response to which we're posting these comments is about Viagra, which doesn't specifically target brain chemistry. To paraphrase, neither does viagra fill our jails, and cause people to loose their families, jobs, and bank accounts. The point was about inappropriate use of prescription drugs.
Feb 01 4:13 AM
pauzaojoao wrote:
Antidepressants and antianxiety drugs are every bit as harmful as crystal meth?? While I agree that the article is really well researched, thought out and written, it's a bit hyperbolic (not to mention inaccurate) to equate meth use with benzos and SSRIs. I agree that antidepressant use, in particular, is way out of control. Sleeping pills too. But even they don't ruin lives, fills our jails, and cause folks to lose their friends, families, jobs and bank accounts. A little perspective please!!
Feb 01 3:01 AM
italmusclebkn wrote:
Phenomenal. Finally, a well written article that doesn't sound like it was written by the marketing department of a pharma company.
Of course this is only one facet of a far more prominent issue. Isn't anyone frustrated from meeting guys who are pill poppers in general?
It's become socially acceptable to pop a pill for most any inconvenience in life, even if the challenge is something that until only recently had always been considered a normal part of life. I'm so sick of meeting guys who are dependent on xanax, zoloft, and whatever other drug of choice, that I no longer even ask about the reasons. There is only so many times you can hear the same sob story "but you don't understand, I'd lost my job", "Mom had cancer," "the dog pooped on the carpet all the time." Antidepressants and antianxiety drugs are every bit as harmful as crystal meth, because more people take them and the effects are more insidious. How about an article on that? It would counter the sandblasting of Lexapro and Lunesta ads we're subjected to every time we log onto gay.com.
Jan 31 4:35 AM
peterstrong wrote:
Terrific article!
well done Walter Armstrong!
Jan 31 3:24 AM