British research on Poppers sheds light on problematic planned drug policy

New research into the use of the drug poppers (alkyl nitrites) has highlighted inconsistencies in proposed changes to UK drug policy and the impact of exemptions from the law on minority groups.

The study was conducted in British Journal of Criminologytoday (Monday 23 September), is the first of its kind to examine who in the UK uses poppers and why.

Poppers produce a cheap, short-lasting high when used non-medically and are used as a sexual aid to reduce the risk of injury during anal intercourse, as well as a recreational drug.

Poppers' analysis was conducted using data collected over a ten-year period as part of the independent annual English Festival Study (EFS). This study includes questions about demographic characteristics and past and current use of alcohol and other drugs.

Statistics from the EFS showed that respondents who had anal sex in the last year were more than twice as likely to have taken poppers. The study showed that gay men who had anal sex were 14 times more likely to have taken poppers in the last year than heterosexual women who had not had anal sex. This proves that poppers are a drug commonly used by gay men.

The legal status of poppers is currently unclear. This year, the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) recommended a one-off exemption for poppers from the Psychoactive Substances Act 2016 because they are used by gay and bisexual men to reduce the risk of injury during anal intercourse.

The research in the new article finds that poppers are more likely to be used by gay men, meaning the proposed exemption would mitigate the harm faced by this minority group.

However, the study's authors highlight the shortcomings of this approach. The proposed exemption for a minority group, say the authors, risks exacerbating inequalities if other drugs used by other minority groups are not given equal consideration in terms of the harm caused to them by drug controls.

The government is obliged to respond promptly to the recommendations of the AMCD reports. This means that a decision must be made soon on whether or not to allow the sale of poppers as a sex aid.

Professor Fiona Measham, Chair of Criminology at the University of Liverpool and leader of the study, said: “We welcome the consideration of how the Psychoactive Substances Act disproportionately affects groups with protected characteristics, but call for the same logic to be applied to all affected groups, including those based on race, gender, age and class.”

“Although it has long been assumed that poppers are used by gay men, this study now shows that there is a clear link. Exempting the sale of poppers from legal control because of the impact on gay and bisexual men is at odds with the hugely disproportionate impact of drug criminalisation on marginalised ethnic minority groups, young people and the working class.

“We hope that the Government will consider the wider issue of social justice in its response to the recommendations and use this opportunity to conduct a more comprehensive review of current drug policy.

“Our research shows that the government can be more ambitious in its drug policy and align with a social justice approach that addresses structural inequalities in society associated with the current, outdated drug misuse law.”

Professor Mark McCormack, professor of sociology at Aston University, added: “It is not right that an exemption policy benefits one group while ignoring the harm to other groups who also have protected characteristics.”