FORUM IN S.F. SPOTLIGHTS RISING RATE OF METH ABUSE

Problem Especially Bad in the Gay Community

SAN FRANCISCO -- Mark Rhoades never intended to do drugs. He was the
kind of kid who was taught to "just say no." But one day when he was
20, he woke up in a hospital bed after a night of bingeing.

Rhoades had developed a methamphetamine habit and could not go more
than 72 hours without the drug, a stimulant that makes it possible for
a user to have lots of energy even without food or sleep.

Rhoades, now 37 and sober for 15 years, told his story last week at a
public forum in San Francisco on methamphetamine usage. The forum was
organized by state Sen. Carol Migden (D-San Francisco), who called
this problem "our own Katrina."

Meth has especially become a problem in the gay community because of
its connection to the rise of HIV infections.

"For every one person newly infected with HIV who is not on meth,
there are four who are," said Robert McMullin, executive director of
the STOP AIDS project in San Francisco.

A 2002 Drug Abuse Warning Network report estimated the number of
serious meth users in the San Francisco area at 46 per 100,000 people,
compared to seven per 100,000 nationally. Results from the 2004 report
have not been released yet.

Rhoades grew up in Tracy, a town he described as "very boy-girl," not
a place where a gay youth would fit in. "Addiction is a disease of
isolation and loneliness," he said, speaking on a panel alongside
medical doctors.

Recommendations gathered from the panel and by Mayor Gavin Newsom's
Crystal Meth Task Force will be used to create a plan to raise public
awareness and determine if new legislation needs to be proposed, said
Migden's deputy chief of staff, Eric Potashner.

The information will continue to be gathered over the next few months,
but any bill would have to be submitted by Oct. 9 for Gov. Arnold
Schwarzenegger to consider it before the end of the year, he said.

Dr. Brad Hare from the Positive Health Program at San Francisco
General Hospital said it is very difficult for a patient to battle
AIDS or any chronic illness while dealing with symptoms of meth
addiction. Meth users lack the organizational skills necessary to take
medicine on time or make and keep appointments.

"This is a challenge for the medical community because they're dealing
with meth instead of dealing with the disease," he said.

Meth use is also creating many dental problems. The acidic nature of
meth decays teeth and gums. It also causes dry mouth, meaning there is
no saliva to protect teeth against bacteria. Users end up with
widespread canker sores inside their mouths.

It is painful for people with these symptoms to eat, or speak, said
Dr. Francisco Ramos-Gomez, assistant professor at UCSF, Division and
Pediatrics Dentistry. He stressed users often do not come in for help
until they are in incredible pain. Often it is too late to treat them,
or costly procedures are needed to repair the damage.

Although meth can cause erectile dysfunction, some users counteract
this symptom by using drugs such as Viagra, which enable them to be
sexually active for a long time. But having sex while under the
influence of meth causes a number of other problems, says McMullin.

A user is less likely to use a condom, tell his partner that he's HIV
positive or ask his partner's HIV status, he said.

Meth's highly addictive qualities are not apparent like other drugs,
McMullin said.

Chris, a 27-year-old gay man living in North Beach, didn't realize he
was addicted until he was laid off and started doing meth once a day.

After five years of use, it took three tries before he quit. He has
been sober since January. He had to get rid of everything in his life
related to meth, including the friends with whom he once partied.

"I saw how my friends were doing worse and worse," he said in a recent
phone interview.

"It was way too accessible ... it was easy to get," he said,
acknowledging that meth is a huge problem.

The problem is citywide and not just impacting adults. One panelist,
Dr. Ramos-Gomez, has been seeing more 12- and 13-year-olds with
meth-related dental problems.

Rhoades can relate to those young people who try drugs such as
meth.

As the only child of divorced parents, he felt his parents tried to
make up for the divorce with toys.

"I had lots of toys," he said, "but no friends."

Drugs and alcohol helped him fit in and feel like he was finally one
of the guys.

Even after being sober, he understands how hard recovery can be,
especially if the addiction caused you to lose your job.

"In recovery, they market that if you get rid of all your drugs you
get your life back," he said. "But it's hard to re-establish your life."