Skip to content

Sexual health information - Chemsex

What is Chemsex?

Chemsex is a term that is used to describe using drugs to enhance sex. Strictly speaking, chemsex refers to gay or bisexual men using drugs to facilitate sex with other men.

In the UK at least, research suggests that chemsex typically involves one (or a mixture) of three specific ‘chems’ (drugs) taken before or during sex. People say these drugs make them feel less inhibited and increase pleasure.

What are chemsex drugs?

The main drugs people take as part of chemsex are mephedrone, gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB), gamma-butyrolactone (GBL), and crystallised methamphetamine.

Mephedrone

Mephedrone is a stimulant. It’s also known as meph, drone or meow meow.

People usually take mephedrone by snorting it, but it can be used by swallowing, smoking or injecting it too. Its effect is to makes people feel alert, aroused, confident and euphoric. However, it can also make people feel sick, anxious and paranoid. It can cause hallucinations, insomnia, reduced appetite, dizziness and sweating. Tolerance to this drug builds up quickly so the desire to take more & more increases leading to potential addiction.

Methamphetamine

Methamphetamine is a stimulant. It’s also known as “Meth”, “Ice”, “Clouds”, “Crystal”, “Crystal meth”, “Glass”, “Tik”,”Speed”

People take crystal meth by swallowing, snorting, injecting or smoking it. It makes them feel alert and aroused, but can also make them feel agitated and paranoid.

Methamphetamine can raise your heart rate and blood pressure which can lead to heart problems. There have also been reports of psychosis from taking methamphetamine. There is evidence of long-term mental health problems and brain damage. You can die if you overdose.

GHB and GBL

GHB and GBL are sedatives. Their full names are gammahydroxybutyrate and gammabutyrolactone, and they’re also known as G, Geebs and liquid ecstasy.

GHB and GBL are usually an oily liquid that people mix with a drink and swallow. They make people feel euphoric, less inhibited and sometimes sleepy too.

With GHB and GBL it’s difficult to know how much of the drug you’re taking so it’s easy to overdose. The overdose can make you pass out and in some cases it can be fatal. On the flipside if not diluted properly, GHB and GBL can burn the mouth and throat when swallowed.

For more information about drugs, visit DAN 24/7.

Is chemsex safe?

While there are ways to help keep yourself safer, there are risks involved:

  • Injecting drugs is risky

Sometimes people inject or ‘slam’ crystal meth and mephedrone. With this there’s an increased risk of injection-related infections and blood-borne viruses like HIV, hepatitis C (HCV) and hepatitis B if you share equipment.

  • It can lead to unsafe sex

If you’re under the influence of drugs, you might not use a condom which can put you at risk of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

People who are high on certain drugs will often have rougher sex than usual, which can cause bleeding.

Since GHB and GBL can make people pass out easily, their use has been linked to rape and other sexual assaults.

Assaults, chemsex and the law

If you’re engaging in chemsex and something happens that you’ve not consented to or you’re assaulted, we understand you could be nervous about reporting it, but we hope this advice, provided by the police, will address those concerns:

If you’re under the influence of drugs

All allegations of crime are taken seriously and sexual assaults are dealt with sensitively by specially trained officers, known as SOIT (Sexual Offence Investigation Techniques) officers.

They’re trained to understand the difficulties faced by someone reporting sexual violence and can direct you to the most appropriate support services. If you report a sexual assault to the police your SOIT officer will be the point of contact with them.

You’ll be asked if you’ve taken or used drugs or alcohol, this is mainly to make sure you are feeling well enough to give a proper account of what happened, and legally agree (consent) to a medical examination. If you aren’t able to they can take some basic information and take a statement and tests at a later date.

It’s also important that the police know from the start if there were any drugs and/or alcohol involved, because if it comes out later it might affect how well you are believed. Not because you’ve taken drugs, but because you didn’t give the full information from the beginning which might look like you’re trying to hide something.

You won’t be arrested for using or telling us you’ve used drugs; that isn’t illegal.

You can report a sexual assault by calling 101 if it isn’t an emergency, and on 999 if you or someone else is in immediate danger.

If you want to report to police anonymously, you can do that.

Some recommended ways to report anonymously:

If you’re in possession of drugs

If you tell police you’re in possession of drugs, or that you supplied (shared or sold) drugs in the past, they can’t ignore this, as physical possession, supply, or possession with intent to supply (PWITS) are criminal offences.

If you’re the victim of a crime when you were taking drugs, and you don’t tell them but it comes out later, it might affect any future court case. You might be seen as a less reliable witness or victim because you kept information back. But you will have a chance to explain why you did this.

The law that deals with drug offences is the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.

If you’re arrested

You won’t be arrested for using drugs while having sex; if you admit to criminal offences (e.g. supply of drugs, committing rape or other sexual offences) you’ll be arrested.

If you work with children or vulnerable adults (as an employee or volunteer) the police might tell them you have been arrested, but this depends on the offence and other things. This is called a disclosure.

There’s no set list of jobs or types of jobs that will trigger them telling your employer, or an organisation where you volunteer, if you’re arrested. Instead, the police have the power to decide what information to disclose, and to who – this is under the Common Law Police Disclosure (CLPD) scheme.

The police should only disclose information if they identify a ‘significant risk’ and an ‘urgent pressing’ social need to address. The National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) says that ‘pressing social need might be the safeguarding, or protection from harm, of an individual, a group of individuals, or society at large.’ The police have a duty to balance public interest against your rights, including how a disclosure might affect your private life.

If you’re in a job or voluntary role that involves being in a position of trust or responsibility with the public, then the police will definitely think about making a disclosure. The decision will be based on:

  • your job/type of work
  • the offence being investigated
  • any specific circumstances
  • an assessment of risk to an individual or group of people

Any disclosure has to be authorised by an experienced officer.

The police can’t make a decision about what happens with your job – they just give the information to your employer so they can decide what, if anything, to do. Your employer should have policies in place on how to deal with this situation.

Will police attend if an ambulance is called?

The police work with the Ambulance Service to work out when they need to attend if they are called.

They are likely to attend if:

  • there’s suspicion that a crime has been committed
  • entry (to the premises) may need to be forced to let the ambulance crew in
  • the patient may be a danger to themselves
  • the patient may be a danger to the ambulance crew

There are lots of specific reasons why police can enter (and search) a property without a warrant. The police also have a general power to enter to arrest someone or ‘to save life or limb’. So if, for example, an ambulance crew arrive and are refused entry by the occupier they’ll call the police for help.

The police can then use their power if they feel that they need to gain entry to save or protect someone’s life. However, if the Ambulance Service are already inside dealing with the situation the power to save life or limb wouldn’t apply, as it wouldn’t be necessary to enter.

It’s possible that refusing entry will look suspicious, but you have the right to say no.

The law that deals with drug offences is the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984.

How to make chemsex safer

The LGBT foundation has some tips for reducing the risks if you’re involved with chemsex, including:

  • Use condoms and lube
  • Set ground rules while you’re sober about what you do and don’t want
  • Don’t share needles or any drug taking equipment
  • Take PrEP to protect against HIV
  • Get tested regularly for sexually transmitted infections (STIs)

You should also avoid mixing drugs with alcohol or any other drugs, and try to use with other people around who you can trust.

Interactions with HIV medication

There are many possible interactions between recreational drugs and HIV medication, some of which can be dangerous. If you are taking HIV medication you can check for interactions on the drug interaction chart from University of Liverpool.

Page last reviewed: 30th September 2025