Are You Up to Speed? - By Jason Riggs, STOP AIDS Project

Have you ever broken up with a friend or a boyfriend because of his crystal use? Are you getting clean from crystal? Are you concerned about the thousands of guys doing crystal and its effect on your relationships and the community? Have you noticed that more guys are trying to cope with self-esteem, social isolation, shyness, and body-image issues by using speed? Has a friend or boyfriend of yours spun out of control because of his speed use?

Most of us have either personally experienced or have friends who have experienced breaking up with a friend of boyfriend because of his crystal use. Many of us who have stopped using crystal or reduced our use are concerned about its continued abuse in the community.

The STOP AIDS Project is beginning an ongoing campaign dubbed, "ARE YOU UP TO SPEED?" aimed at recreational crystal users and those considering use. The idea is to help people not cross the line into heavy use and abuse of speed and to understand the high likelihood that speed use leads to getting or transmitting HIV and other STDs.

These are the facts: At least 1 in 5 gay and bisexual men in San Francisco report using speed in the last 6 months, that means at least 10,000 guys. 1 in 3 new HIV infections are among those who have used speed in the last 6 months. If you are a gay or bisexual man using crystal you are 400% more likely to get HIV than the rest of the gay community. This is happening even to those who consider themselves recreational users.

Crystal is a temporary escape from the very same problems that crystal makes worse. Those guys who use speed recreationally tend to increase their use over time because of ongoing depression, coping with break ups, loneliness, or because they are HIV positive, recently became HIV positive or think that they have. These are the things happening to us, our friends, our boyfriends and ex-boyfriends.

Do you want to help do something about this and help build a healthier community to live and date in? Each one of us can help create the kind of community in which we can all thrive.