UW-Madison’s Sex Out Loud held a forum Wednesday to discuss the negative effects of prescription and illicit drugs and how their abuse increases the risk of contracting STI’s, especially HIV, to kick off World AIDS day events.
According to Chris Daniels, Sex Out Loud program facilitator, despite the fact that prescription drug abuse can have the same harmful effects as illicit drugs like cocaine and opiates, they are “not often talked about.”
“How can we even begin to wage a war on drugs when prescription and over the counter drugs are eliminated from that situation?” Daniels stated. “We don’t talk about prescription drugs.”
It may be that students think that prescription drugs are safe since doctors prescribe them, Daniels said. It is not really clear why students do not associate them with any harm.
“We’re not educating ourselves on the effects of these drugs,” he said. “Over the counter prescription drugs kill more people than all illegal drugs combined.”
The five main reasons that people do drugs are to increase sensation, reduce inhibitions, peer pressure, to increase sexual performance and for social contact, said Kelly Gersonde, Sex Out Loud project coordinator.
“When you’re under all of these sensations, do you think that you’re going to be more safe about sex?” she said. “Chances are pretty much no.”
“Roofies” are tasteless and odorless pills that are normally taken in powder form, said Gersonde. Individuals that take them usually experience temporary amnesia for up to four hours and have no recollection of the events that took place.
“This is the most common drug used during sexual assaults,” she said. “[It] is usually dropped in to somebody’s drink at a bar, at a club, at a house party.”
Along with roofies, alcohol is now considered to be a date-rape drug, said Gersonde. Because it lowers inhibitions when intoxicated, individuals are less likely to use a condom and therefore put themselves “at risk for contracting any STI’s, including HIV.”
According to Paula Tran, Sex Out Loud event coordinator, students should become aware of the risks that come with their sexual activity.
“People need to be more contentious about drug use and what it can do to them and how it can affect the community,” said Tran. “[This behavior] has really serious repercussions.”
The official recognition of World AIDS day is Saturday, Dec. 1.
