Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center Applauds FDA Advisory Against "Poppers"

A recent FDA advisory is backed up by data from the 2020 Pennsylvania LGBTQ Health Needs Assessment.

ALLENTOWN, PA - July 8, 2021 - In response to an FDA advisory issued late last month, Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center is discouraging LGBTQ+ Pennsylvanians from using nitrite "poppers," commonly used to enhance sexual experiences, especially by men in the LGBTQ+ community.

The recent FDA advisory noted that the use of poppers can result in "serious adverse health effects," including severe headaches, difficulty breathing, extreme drops in blood pressure, blood oxygen issues, and brain death. In some cases, the use of poppers has led to hospitalization and death.

The FDA advises against purchasing or using poppers for recreational use or sexual enhancement. The agency recommends that consumers should stop using poppers immediately and to discard any unused products.

Popper use is significant in the LGBTQ+ community, especially among gay, bisexual, and queer men. Poppers are often used to facilitate receptive anal sex. Data from the 2020 Pennsylvania LGBTQ Health Needs Assessmentconfirms that one in five male-identified LGBTQ+ Pennsylvanians used poppers in the last year.

1. In Philadelphia, 26 percent of male-identified LGBTQ+ people have used poppers in the last year.
2. In Lehigh and Northampton counties, 11 percent of male-identified LGBTQ+ people have used poppers in the last year.

The 2020 Pennsylvania LGBTQ Health Needs Assessment also found that many community members engage (or have engaged) in chemsex, the use of alcohol or other drugs (including but not limited to poppers or crystal meth) to help them have sex.

1. In Philadelphia, 49 percent of male-identified LGBTQ+ people have engaged in chemsex.
2. In Lehigh and Northampton counties, 34 percent of male-identified LGBTQ+ people have engaged in chemsex.

"Recently, there has been an increase in reports of deaths and hospitalizations from issues with poppers. Effects of poppers can occur soon after ingestion or inhalation, even after a single use of the product," said Kimberly Levitt, MPH, DHS, health programs and supportive services manager at Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center. "It's extremely important for healthcare providers to understand the negative effects and severity of poppers and to discuss them with their LGBTQ+ patients."

"LGBTQ+ people deserve health equity, and achieving this unmet dream where we can live our proud lives longer sometimes requires behavioral changes," added Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center executive director Adrian Shanker. "I urge our community to heed the advice of the FDA and consider the risk of poppers in our community."

About Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center (www.bradburysullivancenter.org)

Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Centerprovides arts, health, youth, and Pride programs to strengthen and support the LGBTQ+ community across Pennsylvania's Greater Lehigh Valley.