Illegal Drug Use Rate High Among Gays and Lesbians

A two year-long study has found that gays and lesbians were seven times more likely to take illegal drugs compared to others.

A two year-long study conducted by researchers at Lesbian and Gay Foundation (LGF) and the University of Central Lancashire has found that gays and lesbians were seven times more likely to take illegal drugs compared to others.

The researchers questioned more than 4,000 people and found that over a third of gays and lesbians admitted to taking at least one drug in the last month compared to five percent of the wider population, according to the Crime Survey for England and Wales.

Drug Abuse | Drug Addiction | Substance Abuse - Overview
The use of Drugs for reasons other than its prescribed recommendation, is known as Drug abuse or substance abuse. Drug abuse or substance abuse is initiated by various biological and social factors.

Marijuana and poppers, sodium nitrate sold in bottles which is then inhaled, were the most popular drugs followed by powder cocaine, ecstasy, ketamine and amphetamines. Some analysts believe that one of the reasons why drug use is widespread among gay community could be that a feeling of “shame around sex” and fear of rejection.

However Kitty Richardson, who writes on Most Cake blog for lesbians, said that the widespread use of drugs could have a social reason. “People are very quick to label gay people as troubled, or inherently needing those crutches, but all our methods of socializing revolve around drink or drugs. A by-product of that is people can become dependent”, she said.

Source-Medindia

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