Sputnik: What are so-called chemsex drugs?
Della Penna: Chemsex is used in the United Kingdom to describe intentional sex under the influence of psychoactive drugs, mostly among men who have sex with other men. But as we've seen, this is increasingly spreading amongst the heterosexual scene, too. It refers particularly to the use of GHB, GBL, mephedrone and crystallised methamphetamine. These drugs are often used in combination to also facilitate or enhance sexual passion; their effect lasts several hours or days, with multiple sexual partners. Outside the gay scene, the term defines the use of drugs and alcohol in a sexual content.
Della Penna: Yes. Generally what happens is that people choose drugs instead of alcohol based on their diet. [But the drugs], as a substance, also enhance more the feeling and the will of having sex, as well as the sensation you have when having sex. Of course, what you choose to use in your personal life to enhance your sexual experiences is a private choice.
What is dangerous about it is that, if you keep using it and experience the spreading of STIs or HIV or other infections, then you will forget about the reason why you have taken the drug in the first place. You can cause other damages to other people, because what happens when you take drugs is that, as well as when you take alcohol, you forget what you are doing, and you can actually damage the other person not using contraception or other safety methods to have sex with.
Sputnik: Why are chemsex drugs so dangerous to take?
Della Penna: They are really dangerous because what happens is that you lose completely control of your body. Substances like GHB, GBL, crystallised methamphetamine are able to take you to a level where you won't be able to feel your body anymore. The purpose of taking these drugs fades away with consequences you experience physically. GHB is also connected to the ‘rape drug', as it is a drug used by rapists to sexually abuse other women or men, depending on who the victim is.
So [the substance] is really connected to rape as well, so that is why it's really dangerous: doing it with the wrong people or in general is really, really self-harming. The overdose that you can have comes from a very little amount, especially if compared to other types of drugs that you can take and have different effects. By taking a small quantity, you'll have a longer effect and a more dangerous one.
The views expressed in this article are those of the speaker and do not necessarily reflect those of Sputnik.