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Poppers
Nitrites were originally available in small glass or plastic ampoules which had to be snapped or "popped" to open them, which is the origin of the term poppers, though nitrite inhalants are now sold in bottles. Depending on who one asks, nitrites are usually described as smelling either like rotten fruit or old gym socks. While use by heterosexuals is not unknown, most use occurs among the gay male population. Nitrites are inhaled during sex, either to intensify the sex act or to relax the rectal muscles during anal sex. Which form of nitrite is used is largely irrelevant, as it is the nitrite component of the chemical which produces the desired results. The blood vessels are also relaxed, causing oxygen rich blood to rush into the brain, which can intensify the positive emotions already present during sexual stimulation into a sense of euphoria, increased sexual desire, and a loss of inhibitions. A warm sensation and flushing of the face can also occur. Because this rush of blood to the brain can divert blood away from the penis, loss of erection can be a side effect of over-imbibing, another reason poppers are used more by bottoms than tops. Headaches can also result once circulation to the brain returns to normal. Amyl nitrite was originally developed in 1857 and first prescribed for the treatment of angina. Federal law required a prescription to purchase amyl nitrite until the 1960s, when the introduction of nitroglycerin as a treatment for angina led to amyl nitrite's abandonment as a treatment by most physicians and the FDA's dropping of its prescription requirement. Recreational use of the drug began first among soldiers in Vietnam, then appeared States side as soldiers returned and brought their popper-sniffing habit home with them. In 1969 the FDA reinstated the prescription requirement, making amyl nitrite more difficult to obtain. Soon afterwards, a gay medical student named Clifford Hassing developed and patented butyl nitrite. The following year, butyl and isobutyl nitrites, which were not used medically and so did not require prescriptions, became available in small glass bottles. Use of poppers became much more common, first in the bedroom, then in bathhouses and sex clubs, and finally on the dance floors of discos. The common sight of gay men dancing with a drink in one hand and a bottle of poppers in the other was a clear indication of both how popular and open the use of poppers had become. Some dance clubs even periodically sprayed the dance floor area with the liquid, so everyone got a free high. Sales of poppers in the 1970s were so huge that ads for the various brands became the bread and butter for all the major gay periodicals. Amid concerns that a link may exist between use of poppers and the spread of AIDS, use of butyl and isobutyl nitrites in nightclubs was banned in San Francisco in 1985, and recreational use was also banned by Congress in 1989. A new form, cyclohexyl nitrite, soon appeared, and was and is still sold as "leather" or "video head cleaners." While use had largely disappeared by the late 1980s, the late 1990s saw a resurgence which continues at this writing. This has caused considerable concern among both the medical and gay communities, since the long-term effects of nitrite abuse and their possible connection to AIDS has never been fully ascertained. Although no evidence exists that poppers are addictive, cases of men who have become dependent on them and cannot enjoy sex without them are not unknown. Direct contact with the skin which can occur accidentally during sniffing can burn the skin or cause a rash to develop around the lips and nostrils, though this is not permanent. Some persons report fainting when using poppers in conjunction with marijuana or large amounts of alcohol. Because they cause a rush of oxygen rich blood to the brain, overuse of poppers can cause a reduction of available blood oxygen and result in respiratory failure and death. Actor Paul Lynde is rumored to have died from combined heart and respiratory failure as a result of overuse of poppers. Such deaths, however, are rare and usually occur in persons who either swallow the liquid directly or have undiagnosed heart or respiratory conditions. (Lynde had advanced heart disease at the time of his death, the result of decades of alcohol abuse.) Poppers should not be used by persons suffering from anemia, glaucoma, chronic hemorrhoids, low blood pressure, heart disease, heart murmurs, or irregular heartbeats, and should never be used with Viagra or other substances which prolong or enhance erections, as both reduce blood pressure and pressure which if too low can result in collapse of the heart chambers. Both the nitrite liquids and vapors are highly flammable and so poppers should be kept well away from candles, cigarettes, and other open flames. When the AIDS epidemic began in the 1980s, poppers were looked at as a possible cause, based largely on the fact that they were used almost exclusively by the population being affected. The discovery of HIV, the diagnosis of AIDS in gay men who did not use poppers, and the spread of the syndrome through the straight population led to the abandonment of this theory among most medical and scientific authorities. The recent discovery of the herpes virus HHV-8 has also led many to abandon the theory that poppers may be the cause of Kaposi's sarcoma. Those medical authorities and scientists who still question the role of HIV as the cause of AIDS still point to poppers as a factor, believing that AIDS has no clear single biological cause but is the result of several biological and toxicological factors. Others believe nitrites may act as a co-factor in the contraction of AIDS and KS, noting studies which indicate that high doses or prolonged exposure may suppress the immune system or have a mutagenic effect on certain body cells, including immune cells. Yet another role poppers may theoretically play in the spread of AIDs and STDs is in the loss of inhibitions experienced during use, which may impair judgment and so cause one to consent to unsafe sex practices. Regardless of whether any of these theories prove true, one should always practice safer sex and also be extremely cautious when imbibing any mood-altering substance during sex, if not avoiding them entirely. THE POPPERS-KAPOSI'S SARCOMA CONNECTION Elf Sternberg's Guide to Poppers Psychosexual Aspects of the Volatile Nitrites
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