Party and play

The practice is commonly referred to as "party 'n' play" (PNP or PnP) by some participants, while others use the term "high 'n' horny" (HnH). An academic study has labeled it "sexualized drug use" (SDU). The term PnP is widely used among gay men In certain Southeast Asian countries, it is commonly known as "chem fun" (CF or Cf). ==Participants and drugs==

Methamphetamine is often used recreationally for its effects as an aphrodisiac, euphoriant, and stimulant. It has been further described that "an entire subculture known as 'party and play' is based around methamphetamine use." In some cases, these sexual encounters will sometimes occur continuously for several days along with repeated methamphetamine use. A 2014 study on chemsex in London, United Kingdom, indicated that the drugs associated with chemsex include mephedrone, GHB/GBL, crystal meth, ketamine, and cocaine. These drugs tend to inhibit penile erection, Loperamide (Imodium) is often taken by participants in passive anal sex in order to be clean for longer. For some PnP participants, substance use may facilitate a process of "cognitive disengagement" or moral disengagement from the fears and stipulations associated with sex in the time of HIV/AIDS. Popular discourses of "disinhibition" provide a commonly accepted alibi for activities engaged in when under the influence of stimulants. The atypical psychedelic tryptamines 5-MeO-DiPT (foxy methoxy) and 5-MeO-MiPT (moxy) produce sexual and tactile enhancement with only weak hallucinogenic effects at typical doses and are used to enhance sexual experiences as well. ==Risks==

The use of drugs like mephedrone, GHB/GBL, and crystal meth before or during sex, can have physical effects. These can include dehydration, a higher risk of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and drug-related injuries. Dehydration is a widespread problem with chemsex. This can lead to serious health problems, including seizures and even death. GHB/GBL and crystal meth can also increase the risk of injuries due to accidents or sexual encounters that go wrong. These injuries can be as minor as cuts and bruises, but they can also be dangerous in severe cases, such as haemorrhages, anal fissures, ripped anuses, anal prolapse and suffocation. Furthermore, the use of these drugs can affect erection and ejaculation. Gay/Bisexual men will often use Viagra or other ED drugs to overcome this issue. Unfortunately, this means that their body has to cope with drug interactions that can go wrong leading, in some cases, to overdose, seizures, drug induced heart attacks, stroke, paralysis, neurological damage and even death. These physical risks are higher in older men and those with pre-existing medical conditions. The same drug-induced loss of inhibitions makes PNP enthusiasts more vulnerable to more immediate threats, such as robbery, date rape, assault, or murder, by someone whom they meet for sex. Men in the chemsex scene have stated that sexual consent is not clearly defined and there can be a perception that anyone at a "party and play" get-together is assumed to consent. Some substances like GHB and ketamine can cause an inability to communicate or remain conscious which raises serious issues of consent. Using drugs to intentionally sexually violate someone is called Drug-Facilitated Sexual Assault. The abuse of drugs such as methamphetamine may cause neurological damage. Impaired judgement due to intoxication may lead to bareback sex, which increases the chances of contracting HIV. Methamphetamine suppresses autonomic response and can cause sores and abrasions in the mouth. Open wounds or damaged mucous membranes can turn typically low-HIV-risk sex acts such as oral sex into much-higher-risk sexual activity unless all HIV-positive participants are undetectable on HAART, and all HIV-negative participants are taking pre-exposure prophylaxis in strict accordance with prescription instructions. ==Statistics==

Men who PNP with methamphetamine, cocaine, MDMA, and ketamine are twice as likely to have unprotected sex (meaning sex without using a condom or taking PrEP), according to British research from 2006. The study also found that up to 20% of gay men from central London gyms had tried methamphetamine, the drug most associated with PNPing. ==History and cultural significance==

. Pictured is the Club Z bathhouse in Seattle. Subcultures of psychoactive drug use have long existed within urban gay communities, since the 1970s disco era and before. These substances have been used for dancing, socializing, communal celebration and other purposes. The rise of online websites and hookup apps in the 1990s gave men new ways of cruising and meeting sexual partners, including the ability to arrange private sexual gatherings in their homes. From the early 2000s, historic venues of gay socialization such as bars, clubs, and dance events reduced in number in response to a range of factors, including gentrification, zoning laws, licensing restrictions, and the increased number of closeted or sexually labile men who are under the influence of drugs and the increasing popularity of digital technologies for sexual and social purposes. In this context, PNP emerged as an alternative form of sexualized partying that enabled participants to avoid the public scrutiny and potentially judgmental and anxiety-provoking nature of the "public space". Newly popular drugs such as methamphetamine and GHB/GBL replaced dance drugs such as Ecstasy within this context. While PNP sessions tend to be organized around sex, there is some evidence that they can serve a range of social purposes for their participants, including the opportunity to meet other gay men, become friends, and engage in erotic play and experimentation. In some instances, PNP sessions play a part in the formation of loose social networks that are valued and relied upon by participants. == Criticism of reporting==

It has been observed that reliable data and relevant research are generally lacking and this situation is generating a climate of moral panic. In an opinion piece published by The Guardian, it has been argued that an exaggerated reporting might give the public a distorted impression of the magnitude of this phenomenon and that may increase the level of collective anxiety. ==See also==