A major survey on drug use by Australian LGBT youth website GenQ.net has shown a variety of reasons for recreational drug use amongst gay men - and highlighted several worrying side-effects. Over 13,000 gay men, most of them from Australia, USA, Canada and the United Kingdom, responded to a three-month online survey of recreational drug users via the website. The respondents tended to be young men, with the majority (81%) aged between 18-25, with only 6.3% aged 40 and beyond. Most of the respondents (81%) said they took recreational drugs 'to party all weekend', but other popular reasons included 'to have more energy' (56%), 'to relax' (44%), 'to have better sex' (also 44%), 'to stay awake' (38%), 'to increase confidence' (33%), 'because my friends do it' (25%) and 'to lose weight' (19%). One third of the surveyed men said they used drugs every weekend and 12% they needed them at least three times each week. 50% said they only used drugs at major dance parties less than four times a year. When asked 'do you need drugs to go out at night?', 25% responded 'yes'. The most commonly used drug - over 80% - is Ecstasy, with one third using Crystal Meth ('P'), poppers (amyl nitrate) or cocaine. 25% of the respondents used GHB. A question about the side-effects of recreational drug use showed that three-quarters of the young gay male respondents had experienced 'extreme arousal including painful erections'. 69% had experienced loss of memory, 38% had 'total blackouts', 19% said they had become aggressive, and 6.5% had needed hospitalising. If you are concerned about your own or someone else's drug use, contact New Zealand's Community Alcohol and Other Drug Service on 09 845 1818 or http://www.cads.org.nz/.