Rugby legend Gareth Thomas has launched a new campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of chemsex and drug misuse in the LGBTQ+ community. The former Wales captain wants to help end the stigma surrounding sexualised drug use after seeing two close friends severely affected by it.
The Office for National Statistics revealed in January that lesbian, gay and bisexual people are nearly three times more likely to die from drug-related causes than their straight counterparts. Speaking to Metro ahead of the campaign’s launch, Thomas said it was time for society to shine a spotlight on the uncomfortable topic of chemsex. 'This is unbelievably underground and not spoken about because there is a fear of being stigmatised,' he said.
Chemsex, also known as party and play or wired play, involves using drugs to enhance sex. It carries risks of life-threatening overdoses, increased HIV transmission, depression, anxiety, and paranoia. Research from Grindr and LGBTQ+ non-profit You Are Loved found that over a quarter of respondents had sex while using drugs, and one in five had lost someone to a drug-related death.
Thomas, who became the first active professional rugby player to come out as gay, said he nearly lost two friends to chemsex. 'I stood at the side of my mate’s bed when he was unconscious for forty-eight hours,' he said. The campaign aims to 'break the silence' around drug use and mental health challenges, encouraging open conversations to combat shame, loneliness, and isolation.
