Partying, Club Drugs, and HIV: A Gay Man Speaks Out

[lumabi25]

It's hard to get any consensus on poppers. Some websites make extravagant claims of its dangers, others such as Wikipedia (where citations are expected) paint poppers as being relatively harmless when compared with so many other recreational drugs. So, as per usual, who do you trust?

The only thing I can trust is my instinct, and after using them from time to time in the past, instinct tells me poppers will screw you over in the long term, so I try not to succumb to them which isn't easy :(

[4165mc]

this man speaks the truth when so few people dare to.

[philnoll]

@Sidney38SNJ The no-sex until marriage code is something that God laid down. Why should anyone follow that?

[Sergionewyork]

drugs drugs drugs! we can stop them... education, help those people... they are not in control .... Mexico is fighting alone, we must help mexico!

[map78520]

@Sidney38SNJ I disagree

[trees1]

I am shocked to learned Cass Mann has died.

[tictactimmy]

god i wish i had watched this earlier, im 19, gay, and now part of the HIV community. this man is right though, theres nothing i can do now but look forward, something i should have been doing all along. thank you for making this video, hopefully it has/will changed the lives of many.

[W6LOFTS]

I understand his point of view, but find it a little judgemental. He obviously has a wealth of experience and I agree that recreational drugs are co factors in any immune disfuction. However, I also feel as a support worker to the hiv community, that we need to continue to offer support to all - dispite their lifestyle choices which are often caused by their own social and emotional backgrounds and issues

[Auenaura]

@W6LOFTS - Are you actually listening to what he's saying?

I say this as a gay man. Gay men are their own worst enemy. On one hand we cry 'BIGOT!!!' at any straight person who dares imply that we're hedonistic, sex-orientated and reckless people, but on the other we do what the hell we like and why the hell shouldn't we?!!! Well I'm sorry it's complete and utter hypocritical BULLSHIT.

We need to start getting our house in order.

Thank you Cass Mann.

[rebertodarlos]

poppers are shit 4 lil gayssssssssss

[odyssey198812]

So where does everyone think Marijuana stands as far as the spread of AIDS?

[yannia76]

ok we are careful but sometime the other partner is careless and they bring HIV so it is a big problem hope they find a cure for it soon

[GonzoNomad]

You make many good points, but a point of contention.

All of the drugs you mention besides poppers are already illegal. What makes you think banning them will stop their use? If anything, won't it make it worse?

You will still have poppers being sold illegally, but now you would have the issue that affects all illegal drugs - doctoring. Not only would you have the damaging effects of poppers themselves, but also the damage from lack of quality control.

What makes you think this is a solution?

[shanevoda]

it is so scary that something so natural can be so dangerous! im not realy into the drug thing but love to vodka binde with my mates on the scene! im 21 and have been recklous and thankfully im safe, but alcohol is just as bad! i just think its an issue that will be around forever! after a few all gay men just want to stick it in eachother! (btw this video as scared me im not gonna touch another man lol)

[SPEAKANDSPELL81]

How long has he had it for?

[AIDSvideos]

He was diagnosed in the early 80s--around 1984 or 1985, if I recall correctly. (Don't hold me to the exact year; I don't remember off the top of my head. But thereabouts.)

[map78520]

@AIDSvideos I agree with your entire speech - that is how I was infected

[Derfunkmeister]

I have been taking poppers for many years and don't think they are to blame for HIV, I am HIV negative. How can You link those two together. It is simply irresponsibelity that causes HIV. Everybody is blaming everything else and in the end Coca cola will be banned. And that goes for cocaine as well, use common sence, which no one seems to do these days ( not even the politicians) and use a rubber condom and that is possible even when on drugs.

[Evolutionrunbackward]

If u had common sense you wouldn't be doing pingers or snow. Sure u might think its fun or whatever but seriously hard narcotics and ampehetamines ruin lives.

[heartworm666]

I am a straight man who began using poppers, because I was introduced to them by many of my gay friends. I suppose I realized the obviously sexual nature of poppers, without worrying for the health of my friends. Thanks for this video, I think you are eloquent and straightforward, which is a rare combination to find in a person these days. Best of luck to you!

[amr857]

The sexual revolution was one of the worst things to happen to the United States. It resulted in the diseases, abortion, divorces broken homes, deliquency, grug use, etc.

None of this is worth a small moment of pleasure

[tosh395181]

I love that movie stranglers with candy it was so funny

[conotoxin]

Look dead_denialists on Google: It is a partial list of leading "HIV Denialists" who have died of disease consistent with AIDs. The magazine Continuum, run by HIV-positive denialists, which shut down when they died of AIDS-related causes.

AIDS is caused by HIV. The science is clear-cut, exhaustive and unambiguous, and meets the highest standards.

You can choose to accept that fact, or not. Here is your Darwin Award if you don't.

Denialists = murderers

[ralley22]

You know the worst thing ever? I have a friend who went to a party and she was sadly intoxicated.

An older man took advantage of her and had raped her.

She almost commited suicide.

Then 5 months latter she went to get tested, and when she took the "blot test" she tested positive for HIV. The man who raped her gave her hiv. She was not sexually active with anyone.

I could never imagine how much pain that person is feeling. Seriously. I don't know how anyone would feel.

[rememberglen]

I was an addict for nearly 7 yrs to meth..and now, I am HIV+. If you are an addict, seek help before its too late. Addiction always will take you further than you want to go! GBU

[hosjjosh01]

hiv is a sin

[AIDSvideos]

HIV is not a sin. HIV is a virus!

[marzdude]

@hosjjosh01 Shame on you, ur ignorant, go get educated dick!

[LiziNewman27]

How thick are you?

[PsychoRicko]

'you are HIV+ and youcan relax now" "the worse has happened to you"(???)

IDIOT!

...howabout the next step after becoming hiv+..that is getting the disease...AIDS IS HELL!

party on,dude!

[sfknight78]

"Hello, I'm Jerri Blank and I'm a 46-year-old high school freshman. For 32 years I was a teenage runaway. I was a boozer, a user, and a loser. My friends were dealers, cons, and 18 karat pimps. But now I'm out of jail, picking up my life exactly where I left off. I'm back in high school, living at home, and discovering all sorts of things about my body. I'm finding out that though the faces have changed, the hassles are just the same."

[isabellayessi]

Hey..I used to watch "Strangers with candy"funny show..LOL.Oh.I got tested for std/hiv so I can get knocked up.I'm clean since I been with only 3 people.I was not worried Since I know.I do party but alone LOL-Hey..I'm scared I live in missouri and we have a torado watch winds are like 60mph and even the windows are shaking.I have to go now..I'm gonna run to the basement.I hope this toradoe does not hit my home or else I will be homeless or dead.Shit..omg..the sound of alarms..ok bye.

[PhilipRochester]

As a regular clubber from the 1980s to 1990s I know all about the lethal impact of sex and club drugs in facilitating unsafe sex as this is how I got infected: off my face on Cocaine and Poppers on the dancefloor or London's Heaven Ultradisco and New York's Saint, along with all my peers. Larry Kramer described this lethal scenario in his masterpiece

'Faggots' and it was touched on in Randy Shilts's 'And the Band Played On' and the film 'Longtime Companion' and in 2008 our clubs are the same.

[009jorge1]

@PhilipRochester I'm not gay, but I understand what you mean in all my years in the Rave scene I've had sex unprotected so many times while rolling on MDMA. (I will admit, it was hard to keep it up)

But with drugs like MDMA I understand how it happens as you're so in love with EVERYONE its almost impossible to restrain myself. Cocaine confuses me as to how one would have sex unwillingly.