SF Takes on Gay Meth Users

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San Francisco’s gays must be the fastest fags around. An April study estimates that 13% of the population uses meth. What’s worse, of the 5,524 shooters (those who inject drugs), about 54% use speed. These figures do not, however, suggest daily use. BAR elaborates:

Taken together, the numbers suggest that 10,003 gay men in San Francisco are meth users. Overall, the task force estimated that 46,000 residents use meth. The task force came to its decision after reviewing data from a dozen studies, and usage could range anywhere from once a day to once in the past year.

Regardless of regularity, the city government’s trying to slow things down with the new, “socially realistic” Resist Meth campaign.

Pretty snazzy, huh? Although, to be honest, we prefer our anti-meth campaigns to show the actual effects of meth, ie: missing teeth, sunken face, shattered lives.

This campaign’s about more than fighting drugs, says Antonio Aquilar, a community adviser:

Meth has actually created a little bit of a front for a lot of us to come together and join forces. It was saying going back to the concept of community. We the people come together and want you to join us to resist this thing. The sign doesn’t say anything stigmatizing about anyone or anything. It leaves it open so people can read into it whatever they want.

Of course, Aquilar and company are hoping people will read it and realize, “Hey, I’m wasting my life away being wasted. It’s far more attractive to be at least relatively sober and remember who I fucked last night.”

Other anti-drug campaigns seem to be working. Sort of. Meth rates have dropped slightly since last year, but coke usage appears to be climbing. The lesser of two evils, we suppose, but neither leaves a great mark.

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