Reading about 26-year-old Jordan Duran meth habit — up to 20 times a day by age 23! — is just wretched. Typical story: Gets a taste, loves it, has unprotected sex while high, tests positive for HIV, turns to meth as a crutch, gets insanely addicted, yada yada. Sad story, because it’s true! But the saddest part of this story comes from Joshua O’Neal, who conducts HIV-testing research at a clinic there: “Every time I test a meth user I feel afraid for them in the pit of my stomach.” Ugh. But snaps to Jordan, who’s using his image and name to put a face on this problem.
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
So sad……..He was probably very hot prior to the descent into meth hell………he is 26 but looks like he is in his 40’s….good for him for trying to make some good out of his nightmare…………..
Enron
My goodness, he is absolutely handsome! Sigh, here is one of the reasons why I want young gay men to take more responsibility and be careful. When people say I am bashing Mason Wyler because of his unfortunate situation, its not because I think he is immoral, its because I didn’t want him to end up in that terrible situation of having to focus on a responsibility that didn’t have to be because of promiscuity and wreckless sexual activity.
I hope Jordan’s story can be one of enlightenment.
Daveny
At this point you can just randomly pick a 20 something gay man and have the same results. People are acting like HIV was eradicated or something and Meth might as well be named a vitamin for some. It’s out of hand and people just don’t care. Scary!
Cam
Thank you Ken Mehlman, because of the atmosphere and attitudes you continued to foster when you worked for the Bush Admin. and as head of the RNC, young men like this turn to horrible repairative therapies, and drugs to escape the stigma of being gay. Take a good look at some of your work Ken and maybe you’ll see why we aren’t all patting you on the back as some hero now that you’ve come out.
babygay
am I supposed to feel sorry for him because of the choices he made? Mmm sorry, not gonna happen.
Bill
Until gay boys are not taught to hate themselves by their families and society, we will see this problem escalate, not dissipate.
NAP79
@ Daveny – Excellent point! There is going to be a huge resurgence of HIV infection b/c the younger generation treats it as a manageable disease like diabetes or something.
@ Cam – Ridiculous point! Are you pulling taffy over there, b/c that’s quite a stretch! I think this guy probably turned to drugs b/c A) He’s an idiot, B)He’s weak, C)Whatever trick(s) he was fucking at the time was doing it, D)All of the above. It has little to nothing to do with some closet-case Republican hypocrite.
Phil
@babygay: So if a UN delegation was held up by some rogue country, you’d feel no sympathy for the UN humanitarians because they chose to go into a dangerous situation? Quite frankly, you’re a dick. Jordan Duran may have made some bad choices but I would not wish HIV or meth addiction on my worst enemies. Nobody deserves that, and even I can express sympathy for someone in a bad situation.
Mr. Enemabag Jones
Mr. Duran didn’t fail himself–we failed him as a community. He just emulated what he saw nightly within our community. We’re killing our young people, because too many of our older people refuse to grow up, and stop partying like it’s 1977.
Drugs, narcissism, and materialism. These three things are destroying us.
Jeffree
All the more reason to create more alternatives to the “bar scene” more GLB-oriented cafés, restaurants, sports clubs, comedy stages, etc. We need more places for people to gather where the focus isn’t on alcohol or other substances.
Chipsy
@Bill:
I suspect that most people who start using drugs are just curious about the promised high. The “numb the pain” and “victim of society” narratives comes after the drugs start using them.
Chipsy
@Jeffree:
LOL. Gay folks have been saying that for 40 years now.
Steve
@Bill:
A young gay man is much more likely to abuse meth and other drugs living in San Francisco, where he is not hated, than
in Oklahoma or Idaho, where he is. Stop with the
politically correct BS and start dealing with the
real issue: meth feels good and sex feels good.
So people are tempted to do both in combination.
When the gay community stops treating physical pleasure
as life’s highest goal, then we will see a decline in cases
like this.
@ Cam:
Seek help. Seriously, man. Talk to someone.
seaguy11
Drug abuse is an addiction. No one in that article was asking anyone to feel sorry for anyone. It was stating the facts and that there is help out there and people can get clean.
The comments that are only bitter attacks or snatchy comments are so lame!
Zach
Everyone should be cognizant that there is no one route to drug use.
There isn’t really any comment to make about Duran’s personal responsibilty for his current situation, beyond stating that he’ll have to deal with it for the rest of his life.
That being said, I can’t contain my disgust at the lack of a support system for him. His family sounds like they were of no help, and when he went looking for one in the gay community, the person who reached back introduced him to drugs. How does anyone who abetted this sleep at night?
TonyD
@Mr. Enemabag Jones: You can’t help someone until they’re ready to help themselves first and sadly, HIV & meth addiction are unforgiving. We can teach everything there is, but if the student isn’t wiling to learn, sometimes experiences is the cruelest yet most effective tool of education. I can’t imagine the trap this guy is in, knowing the stats rehabilitation fails meth users, and to be HIV+ on top of it. Ouch!
Why All the h8? (John from England)
Nice guys! With friends like these in your camp, who needs enemies?
TonyD
@Why All the h8? (John from England): It’s not judgment. I support the guy, but he has to go through rehab and remember to take his HIV meds. 1) Rehabilitation for crystal meth addicts is extremely low and it gets lower every time the patient returns to rehab. 2) Even the article mentions if he continues meth, his HIV may turn into full blown AIDS. Funding for HIV meds in the US has been cut, but increased abroad. There are wait lists in the US for people waiting to get medication for HIV/AIDS. 3) Often, when you get HIV/AIDS, you get other diseases, infections, etc- we can all support him, but this guy has a journey only he can travel. I doubt he wants our pity, but our support is always welcomed!
Andy
“Three quarters of all men who test positive for HIV have used meth”. I’d love to know what the overall percentage is for gay men who’ve used meth. I find the causal linkage between HIV and meth usage to be overblown. Clearly, its a problem, but at least in my neck of the woods, its not THE problem. I seriously doubt that amongst black gay populations where meth is less popular and HIV more prevalent, its also not THE problem. Its a contributing factor, but focusing on meth, rather than the behaviors associated with it, gives a false sense of security to everyone else.
Whoa
Oh gosh, I know him… and yes, he’s really cute in real life, that’s just a bad picture.
montreal
i am so sick of HIV..it pisses me off..who to trust, who to believe..people blaming…fucking heteros have unsafe sex ALL the fucking time..with gays it is pounded into their heads constantly, safe sex, safe sex, safe sex…a hetero man goes out and bangs 3 or 4 different women every week with no condom, his friends don’t bat an eyelash..a gay guys gets fucked without a condom and it is like, are you stupid? do you have a death wish? do you not respect yourself? to think we can get sick and die all because of sex..having unprotected sex…for someone who lives life cautiously..someone who does not smoke, do drugs, drink..looks both ways before crossing the street..and to contract HIV, fuck i am pissed..fucking pissed off…and i have no one to blame but myself..it is a total mind fuck…guys take fucking care of yourselves..