Stimulants, Sex, and Gender

This article examines the differential effects of cocaine and methamphetamine (MA) on sexual drive, performance, and pleasure among men and women. Based on a self-report questionnaire, we examine cocaine (n D 56) and MA (n D 52) users' associations between substance use and sex. Overall, the cocaine group endorsed primarily negative associations between drug use and sex, whereas MA users reported strong positive associations. Female cocaine users were least likely to endorse positive associations, whereas female MA users were the least likely to endorse negative associations. The question: "How does drug use affect sexual behavior?" cannot be answered without first specifying the drug and the gender of the user. Better information on this topic could greatly enhance the efforts of clinicians providing treatment services to drug using populations.