You can purchase an autographed copy of Anything But Straight by sending a $35 check or money order to:
-------------------------
Wayne Besen
PO Box 25491
Brooklyn, NY 11202
There are recreational drugs, such as pot and alcohol and then there are what I call "wreck-reational" drugs such as crack and crystal methamphetamine. The latter has become somewhat of a plague in the gay party scene and a ubiquitous shadow in gay online pickup sites where users are often looking to PNP (party and play) or "ski."
Like all club drugs, crystal has a cute nickname - Tina - and has a powerful allure. Users can dance or socialize for hours without feeling fatigued and it greatly enhances one's sex drive. The downside is that users can stay up for days, become irritable and the toxin is highly addictive. Another side effect is stupidity, as users are prone to post "covert" online ads in flat, sun-drenched sandbars like Miami Beach looking to "ski." Yeah, that ought to fool the cops!
Male consumers of Tina often have a difficult time maintaining erections. Enter Viagra, the miracle drug that not only helped Bob Dole, but currently keeps drug-crazed nights from becoming dull. Today's modern druggie can now inflate, mate and gyrate with ease, all while enjoying Meth's speedy euphoria.
This drug combination has led to a spike in HIV-infections. One study of gay men in San Francisco showed that 36-percent of all Viagra users combined its use with other drugs including meth. Five other studies of homosexual men found an increase in unprotected anal sex with a partner of unknown or serodiscordant HIV-status among Viagra users, with users twice as likely to almost six times as likely to engage in this high risk behavior.
In reaction to this phenomenon, the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the self-described largest AIDS healthcare, prevention and education provider in the United States, has filed a lawsuit against Pfizer Inc., the manufacturer Viagra.
AHF claims that Pfizer is marketing Viagra as a recreational drug to younger men who do not suffer from erectile dysfunction. The healthcare group points to an ad campaign that asks, "Want to improve your sex life?" They also highlight ads placed in major daily newspapers that show virile middle-aged men smiling under headlines such as, "What are you doing New Year's Eve?" and "Be this Sunday's MVP."
"Pfizer's direct to consumer marketing of Viagra as a drug to enhance sexual performance is primarily aimed at men who don't necessarily suffer from a clinical diagnosis of erectile dysfunction, and we believe it is not only irresponsible, but also illegal, especially in light of the drug's known use as part of a 'circuit party cocktail' of drugs that is fueling the spread of STDs and HIV," said Michael Weinstein, President of AIDS Healthcare Foundation.
I can certainly sympathize with AHF's worthy goal of lowering the HIV infection-rate, but I think they are terribly misguided with this lawsuit. First, so what if Viagra is marketed as a recreational drug? Pfizer has afforded your average Homely Joe the ability to perform in bed like porn icon John Holmes. This is great news and reason to celebrate! Why should a person have to have a diagnosis of E.D., before he can enhance his sex life and that of his partner?
Let's face it, the use of Viagra today is similar to cranberry juice - some people drink it because of its health benefits - it is good for the bladder - while others imbibe because it tastes good. Personally, I think the FDA should drop all pretenses and allow Viagra to freely market to younger forty-something men who do not have E.D., but can use a boost in bed.
Of course, there is the potential for abuse by Viagra users who mix it with Tina. But, whatever happened to people taking personal responsibility for their choices and actions - including the consequences? Pfizer is not forcibly placing the little blue pill in the mouths of drug abusers with instructions on how to ingest methamphetamine.
In a free country, people must be allowed to make mistakes - even if they are fatal. It is insulting to gay men to suggest that they are so weak and infantile that they can't stay away from this deadly drug on their own volition. The message sent by AHF's lawsuit is that gay men need a busybody Nanny-state to limit risks and keep them safe. While they are at it, why doesn't AHF sue the maker of small sugar spoons because they are used to cook meth?
AHF was on the right track when they ran an ad campaign with the tagline: "Viagra + Crystal Meth = Rx for HIV Infection." In combating this scourge, education is the answer. If you inform gay men that a drug will likely cause a loss of job, partner, teeth and even life, most will stay away. While this lawsuit is well meaning, it is unnecessarily hard on Viagra, while we should instead be hard on ourselves for not speaking out more forcefully against this destructive poison.
12 Comments:
Knowing big pharma and the FDA, you'll probably be able to buy viagra over the counter in just a few more years anyway.
posted by Anonymous, at
1/31/2007 9:41 AM
Thank you for speak the truth on this one. Whatever happened to just being responsible for oneself and quit blaming others.
posted by Anonymous, at
1/31/2007 11:02 AM
First, congratulations on the use of the phrase "hard on" twice in that last sentence. I had to laugh.
Secondly, while I agree with you that this is about personal responsibility, aren't you a little late to the party on this one? I and some other bloggers wrote about this a couple of weeks ago. Usually you're more on top than that.
To regan, the deaths are not from the exclusive use of Viagra, but its combination with an illegal substance. Hence the difference why Viagra has not been pulled from the market. Fen-phen and ephedra did damage on their own, without illegal narcotic help. This has nothing to do with gender politics.
posted by Anonymous, at
1/31/2007 1:23 PM
I agree. I note that this example proves that us left-wing Democratic gay activists will sometimes give bipartison support to the Rush Limbaugh Republican dogma of individual responsibility when it makes sense.
posted by Thomas Kraemer, at
1/31/2007 6:10 PM
Mike Weinstein, of AIDS Healthcare Foundation approaches AIDS education by demonizing and stigmatizing people living with HIV in a slew of vicious attack ads that have become notorious in LA and other cities where his operatives run his charity. He has contracted with an Ad agency called Better World Advertising to push the idea that People with AIDS are grotesque and deformed monsters that must be avoided so one can be safe from contracting AIDS.
In reality most people with the AIDS virus don’t even know they are infected nor do they look as hideous as Weinstein portrays them in his adverts, so he even misses his own stated goals. He does not appear very smart, does he? Or perhaps it’s that he has another agenda. One that is unnervingly similar to the agenda of the far right: to deny and diminish rights, to Gay people as a mechanism for social control. This latest attack on Viagra hits particularly close to home so I am impelled to reply with some indignant anger.
Weinstein, I will not permit you to create an environment where my sex life can be taken away from me. This time you have bitten off more then you can chew. Both the Christian right and you, Weinstein, in some egomaniacal fantasy believe that you can enforce your idea of ‘correct’ sexual behavior through political coercion and social manipulation. Both of you are dead wrong. Both of you are destined to fail in the most humiliating way. The Christian right has its closets full of embarrassing information that comes out at the most inopportune time, and I can’t help but feel the same fate will befall Weinstein.
Andrew Sullivan quoted Weinstein to the effect that ‘the best way to end the AIDS epidemic is to see people get sick and die’. This is bad public and epidemiological policy. It’s irresponsible. Outright crazed elements like Weinstein out to be forced to resign from positions where they can do damage to public health policy. Weinstein will implode by his own bizarre statements and behavior. If the AHF wants to avoid going down in flames with him, they better ‘retire’ him and fast.
This tin-pot would be dictator to the Gay community is universally reviled outside his little politburo of sycophants in control of the AHF. He has made a habit of using AIDS as a club to beat money out of the pharmaceutical companies to enrich the coffers of his operation, and he has succeeded in several instances with this sort of strong arm fund raising. Now I am not a great fan of Pharmaceutical companies, but I am less of a fan of vicious opportunists like Weinstein who are carrying out the policy of the Christian coalition in the gay community; to demonize and deny gay men basic human rights, in this case to an erection.
It’s known that HIV medication affects sexual functioning. It’s known that anti-Gay social stigma causes depression which affects sexual functioning, and indeed, meth use affects sexual functioning.
Many more Gay men’s sexual functioning is affected by HIV medication, HIV illnesses and by anti-Gay stigma them by meth use. Weinstein knows this but doesn’t care because he also knows that in the current sexually repressive climate he can get mileage and money by raising the demons of Gay men having sex and spreading AIDS. So Weinstein feels that his anti-Viagra campaign will create a perfect storm for his aggrandizement and enrichment. He will find that this perfect storm will engulf him in ways that has not anticipated.
When this goes to court and I hope Pfizer will have the backbone to stand up to Weinstein rather then pay him hush money to go away, much like Abbott did a couple of years ago, there will be a line of Gay people and AIDS activists ready to testify against him, myself included.
"I note that this example proves that us left-wing Democratic gay activists will sometimes give bipartison support to the Rush Limbaugh Republican dogma of individual responsibility when it makes sense. posted by Thomas Kraemer"
That's a bit like saying lefties are sometimes religious. Of course we are. We're human beings.
Of course, anyone of any sort of intelligence believes in "personal responsibility".
Just like they don't own religion and morality, the right wing definitely does NOT hold the patent on personal responsibility.
They just happen to be the ones throwing the term around trying to win political points, while doing practically nothing to live up to it (which is probably why they repeat it so much, because they need to make up for not actually having any themselves).
Come on, let's not pretend like Rush Limbaugh is right about anything.
posted by Anonymous, at
2/05/2007 3:19 PM
This topic is very interesting. Nice blog! Thank you! Very relevant information. I think it would be useful to many.
posted by Anonymous, at
8/06/2007 2:22 AM
