Is sex driving people to alcohol and drugs ?

A pan-European study of 1300 people, aged 16 to 35, who routinely socialise in nightlife settings such as clubs and discos, has been published in BioMed Central’s open access journal, BMC Public Health. The study found a third of the males and a quarter of females were drinking alcohol to increase their chances of sex, while cocaine, ecstasy and cannabis are intentionally used to enhance sexual arousal or prolong sex.

Overall, alcohol was most likely to be used to facilitate a sexual encounter, while cocaine and cannabis were more likely to be utilised to enhance sexual sensations and arousal. Despite these perceived sexual “benefits”, drunkenness and drug use were strongly associated with an increase in risky behaviour and feeling regretful about having sex while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.