One-third of the males and one-fourth of
the females indicated they deliberately combine drugs with sex.
Statistics also show that 28 percent use alcohol to facilitate sexual
encounters, while others try cocaine, ecstasy and cannabis (marijuana).
In their quest to make sex better
through chemistry, many are finding that this combination leads to some
negative consequences. Next-day misgivings about sexual activities are
common; some regret the choice of partner or risks taken. The lack of
condom use is often mentioned as a drug-induced mistake.
Bellis states, “Trends in recent decades
have resulted in recreational drug use and binge drinking becoming
routine features of European nightlife. Millions of young Europeans now
take drugs and drink in ways which alter their sexual decisions and
increase their chances of unsafe sex. Yet despite the negative
consequences, we found many are deliberately taking these substances to
achieve quite specific sexual effects.”
Many in the study began combining drugs
with sex at an early age, often before 16. This tends to lock them into
a lifelong pattern of such behavior.
Government-sponsored education and
prevention programs often address sex and drugs as two divided issues.
While this approach was warranted in the past, nowadays the two are
frequently co-mingled. It is no longer enough to teach about sexually
transmitted diseases and then separately provide information about the
perils of drug and alcohol use. It is important to acknowledge that
these two dangers are increasingly being mixed together to form a
volatile cocktail.
