The debate about the poppers AIDS connection began in the 1980's. The arrival of AIDS and the surge in the popularity of using nitrites recreationally coincided. Moreover, the use of poppers and AIDS are both predominantly - though far, far from exclusively - gay phenomena, especially in the United States. So, combine homosexuality with drugs and a deadly disease and you've got yourself one hell of a contentious issue.

One thing that people on both sides of the poppers AIDS connection argument agree about is that poppers do not cause AIDS. Nobody ever really suggested such a far fetched theory. The use of alkyl nitrites dates back long before AIDS. The suggestion, however, was that the abuse of nitrites may weaken the body's immune system and make it easier for the body to contract the HIV virus. This is a particularly potent argument since poppers are often used in conjuction with anal sex between gay men, and are taken just before or during penetration, and anal sex is known to be a high risk, HIV-rich bodily fluid sharing, activity.

The 1980's produced a number of people and institutions who claimed to have found evidence of a correlation between AIDS and the use of poppers. Since there is a strong correlation between gay men and AIDS and gay men and poppers, this finding was inevitable. The gay community, particularly the producers of poppers for commercial consumption, came out in arms to attack this theory, calling people such as Hank Wilson self-serving and unqualified. The authors of the website allaboutpoppers.com - Joseph Miller and his Rushbrands company - are leading critics of this form of defense. However, these people are also self-serving and unqualified - they are business people who want to sell poppers. Therefore, this poppers AIDS connection debate seems to be largely between self-serving and unqualified people. Those who appear objective and qualified make it clear that there is no solid scientific evidence of such a connection, but that does not mean that there isn't one. Also, if - as poppers manufacturers maintain - poppers makes anal sex more pleasurable or less painful, then poppers will naturally increase the incidence of anal sex, which is a high risk activity. This is logical deduction, not scientific evidence, but if you have self-serving or political reasons to want poppers banned, this would be an excellent starting point.

The human body's immune system is the first line of defense for anything entering the body, wholesome home-cooked food included - just in case Mom bought a dodgy ham. It is the body's quality control department. Everything that enters the body is checked by the immune system - assuming the immune system is working correctly - and the more that is put into the body, and the more toxic it is, the more the immune system resources are stretched and the more likely that something infectious will get through. Over-eating can lead to sickness. If you are sick, a sensible doctor will advise you not to drink or smoke. If you have AIDS, a sensible doctor will advise you not to abuse nitrites.

Personally, I doubt that there is a connection between poppers and AIDS, or AIDS related diseases. There might be, but that's not important to me because even if the effect of poppers on the immune system - and as argued above there must be one - makes it more likely to contract AIDS, you still can't contract HIV unless you are participating in a risky activity with someone else who is HIV positive.

In short, if someone is having unprotected anal sex or sharing heroin needles with someone who is HIV positive and neither consenting adult cares enough about his health to know it or to respect the risk, then let's not blame poppers.
ED.

If you would like to respond to this editorial point of view, please click here for our feeback contribution form!