'LOVE DRUG' USERS CAST ASIDE CAUTION AND CONDOMS IN ECSTASY

They call it the "love drug" but ecstasy has been exposed as the reckless
drug - lulling users into risky sexual behaviour.

In a study by the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre at the
University of NSW, more than two-thirds of users surveyed reported the drug
lowered inhibitions.

It also found intoxication from the drug led to a tendency to use condoms
less often with casual partners.

The study, which involved face-to-face interviews with 213 ecstasy users in
Sydney, revealed that:

* Condoms were used less with casual sexual partners while intoxicated with
ecstasy than when not intoxicated.

* Ecstasy use and age were greater predictors of sexual risk-taking than
gender and sexual identity.

* Most subjects reported ecstasy improved sex (70 per cent) and lowered
inhibitions (67 per cent). However, 45 per cent also reported that ecstasy
inhibited arousal and/or climax.

* 12 per cent reported a loss of sex urge related to ecstasy use in the
preceding six months, lasting an average 48 hours.

While the study acknowledged the non-random nature of the sample limited its
conclusiveness, it said the extent of sexual risk-taking raised concern. The
results suggested better education on the risks of unsafe sexual activity
for ecstasy users was needed, the report concluded.

"Ecstasy use appears to be associated with a greater level of recent sexual
risk-taking, a greater number of sexual partners and increased likelihood of
risky casual sex during intoxication," it said.

"Sexual risk-taking among this group was approximately equivalent to that
undertaken by samples of injecting opioid and amphetamine users.

"These results suggest that safer sex messages may not be reaching the
entire population of illicit drug users and that reinforcement of such
messages in a culturally appropriate fashion may be useful."