World
CONTACTStaffCAREER OPPORTUNITIESADVERTISE WITH USPRIVACY POLICYPRIVACY PREFERENCESTERMS OF USELEGAL NOTICE
© 2024 Pride Publishing Inc.
All Rights reserved
All Rights reserved
By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Private Policy and Terms of Use.
New York's gay center launches crystal meth campaign
New York City's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Community Center on Monday launched a campaign to fight crystal methamphetamine use in the city's gay community. It includes an expanded educational Web site, an advertising campaign targeted at gay youth, and expanded counseling services. The center has provided crystal meth counseling for the past four years but has decided to step up their efforts to target the growing number of meth uses, say center officials.
"There's no question about it: Crystal meth use is an epidemic in the gay and bisexual community," Richard Burns, executive director of the center, said in a press release. "Aside from the health problems that are directly related to crystal meth use, what we're really concerned about is the effect it has on people's judgment when it comes to practicing safe sex."
Recent studies have documented that among gay or bisexual men who use party or club drugs, approximately 62% reported frequent use of crystal meth. Another study cited on the center's Web site states that men who tested positive for HIV antibodies--even though they thought they were HIV-negative--had 11 times more unprotected receptive anal sex while high on meth than those who were confirmed to be HIV-negative.
The community center provides information and services on its Web site (www.gaycenter.org), including facts about the drug, a confidential online survey, links to other resources for education and support, and access to counseling. An innovative feature of the expanded Web site is the addition of 29 video clips attached to the survey, which provide firsthand accounts from users and ex-users about the risks and consequences of crystal use. The ad campaign focuses on gay and lesbian youths and includes advertisements in telephone kiosks throughout the Chelsea and the Garment District neighborhoods of Manhattan.
"The new ad campaign fills a critical gap in drug education for youth in our city," says Barbara Warren, director of organizational development, planning, and research for the center. "Young people ages 13 to 22 helped to inform and design this campaign, and they told us that although many of them had heard of crystal, they did not have facts about the effects and the risks of using it. We need to help current users and prevent others from starting use in the first place."
Want more breaking equality news & trending entertainment stories?
Check out our NEW 24/7 streaming service: the Advocate Channel!
Download the Advocate Channel App for your mobile phone and your favorite streaming device!
From our Sponsors
Most Popular
Here Are Our 2024 Election Predictions. Will They Come True?
November 07 2023 1:46 PM
Meet all 37 of the queer women in this season's WNBA
April 17 2024 11:24 AM
17 Celebs Who Are Out & Proud of Their Trans & Nonbinary Kids
November 30 2023 10:41 AM
Here Are the 15 Most LGBTQ-Friendly Cities in the U.S.
November 01 2023 5:09 PM
Which State Is the Queerest? These Are the States With the Most LGBTQ+ People
December 11 2023 10:00 AM
These 27 Senate Hearing Room Gay Sex Jokes Are Truly Exquisite
December 17 2023 3:33 PM
10 Cheeky and Homoerotic Photos From Bob Mizer's Nude Films
November 18 2023 10:05 PM
42 Flaming Hot Photos From 2024's Australian Firefighters Calendar
November 10 2023 6:08 PM
These Are the 5 States With the Smallest Percentage of LGBTQ+ People
December 13 2023 9:15 AM
Here are the 15 gayest travel destinations in the world: report
March 26 2024 9:23 AM
Watch Now: Advocate Channel
Trending Stories & News
For more news and videos on advocatechannel.com, click here.
Trending Stories & News
For more news and videos on advocatechannel.com, click here.
Latest Stories
In the face of tweets and turmoil, why I left the South as a medical student
April 18 2024 7:30 AM
Trans man Tee Arnold shot to death in Florida
April 17 2024 4:41 PM
Can scientific research on the causes of homosexuality be used against LGBTQ+ people?
April 17 2024 4:02 PM
George Takei releases kids' book about his childhood in internment camp
April 17 2024 3:18 PM
PLUS
ExclusivesTodrick Hall on surviving the rumors and remembering where he came from
April 17 2024 2:33 PM
Pride
Yahoo FeedHow The Pride Store celebrates National Tea Day: A tale of two brews
April 17 2024 2:14 PM
'Parents' Rights' movements forget families have the right to read LGBTQ+ books
April 17 2024 10:15 AM