Clinical and forensic impact of chemsex practices: An overview of the phenomenon

The use of drugs within the context of chemsex extends beyond mere sexualised drug use and
stems from a unique sociocultural pattern within the LGBTQ+ community, which may entail various
detrimental effects on individuals with increased vulnerabilities. To analyse the potential harm of these
practices across different health dimensions, a review has been conducted on the primary areas of
impact and their potential consequences on medical-sexual, toxicophilic, psychopathological, and
forensic levels, based on the framework of a specific biosanitary protocol designed to assess the
severity of chemsex practices. The results showed that this sexualised drug use increases the risk
of experiencing unwanted outcomes. Among them are the transmission of STIs, psychopathological
changes (such as depressive, anxious, psychotic, and post-traumatic symptoms, among others), death
by suicide or other causes, committing criminal offences (mainly sexual assaults or drug trafficking
crimes), or becoming a victim of them. Nevertheless, the type of impact is individual and depends
on the modulating variables of each person (risk, protective, and vulnerability factors), the outcome
of which arises from a multifaceted dynamic, rooted in the biopsychosocial trajectory of those who
engage in it. Therefore, public policies should promote an approach that provides personalised
(preventative and care-based) attention to address addiction or problematic consumption.