Top of Page
Stories from the current issue of the Chronicle. Read or Place a Personal Ad.   Calendar of upcoming community events. Read or Submit. Buying, selling, hiring, looking, renting, etc. Classified ads. Listings of businesses and non-profit organizations.
News Stories from the Chronicle.

News stories from the Gay People's Chronicle

Back to our Home Page. Masthead, Privacy Notice, Address, Submissions, Deadlines, Letters and Copyright notices. Theatre, Arts, Movies and More Get home delivery of the Chronicle and never miss a thing. Past lead stories from the Chronicle are here. Join in our Community Discussion Forum and speak your mind.

 
 
 
 
JOIN OUR MAILING LIST

Join our mailing list and keep up on the latest news!
Enter e-mail:
Join
Remove
 
DISCUSSION

Share your thoughts on this story in our forum area.

 

DID YOU KNOW?

All of the businesses, social groups and organizations listed in the Chronicle have thousands of members across Ohio.

Thousands of people who read the Chronicle and visit our website every week to get the latest news and info.

Thousands of people who will see your advertisement in the Chronicle, in print or online.

Chronicle readers count on us to help them find gay-friendly businesses and services.

Can you really afford not to advertise with us?

DISCUSSION
Share your thoughts on this story in our forum area.
 
SUBSCRIBE
Keep up on all the gay news with more stories like these. Get home delivery of the Chronicle and you won't be left in the dark!

Top Stories This Week in the Chronicle.
June 17, 2005

Forum makes an early strike at meth in Ohio

Columbus--Over 100 people attended a forum on crystal methamphetamine at the Arena Grand Theater on June 14, a preemptive strike against the drug that has ravaged gay communities in larger cities.

�The panel was extremely well-balanced and knowledgeable,� said Chris Hughes, the MSM HIV prevention coordinator for the Columbus AIDS Task Force, one of the community organizations that put together the event.

Crystal meth, also known as �tina,� is considered a scourge in the LGBT community, especially among gay and bisexual men, because its use lowers inhibitions, leading quite often to unsafe sexual practices. Since the drug also has anesthetic properties, men having receptive anal sex can damage tissues, opening an avenue for HIV infection.

According to Hughes, members of the panel included social service workers, concerned community members, and former and current drug users, representing not only Columbus, but also Akron, Dayton and Cleveland.

�It was a good starter to see where this epidemic is in our community,� he said.

While there have yet to be any hard figures released on the amount of meth use in Ohio LGBT communities, the city of Cleveland, in conjunction with the Cleveland Lesbian-Gay Center, will be taking a survey this weekend at Cleveland Pride to determine the extent of the drug�s infiltration.

Stonewall Columbus, another of the organizations that presented the forum, is starting a support group for crystal meth users later this month called �Tina�s Caf�.� The first meeting will be on June 25.

According to Hughes, CATF also offers an outpatient treatment program, and Narcotics Anonymous, Alcoholics Anonymous and Al-Anon all provide services to meth users. Maryhaven and House of Hope also provide inpatient addiction care, although House of Hope only deals with men and specializes in alcohol dependency.

 

Previous Story---------------------------- Next Story

 

List of Stories in this Week's Issue

Top of Page Go Back One Page


© 2005 KWIR Publications
Legal and Privacy Notices