While not all gay/lesbian/bi/trans/intersex/queer young people use drugs, according to studies on the topic, it appears that folk from the rainbow spectrum tend to report more frequent use of drugs, and at ‘more harmful’ levels than their heterosexual and non-transgender peers.

The statistics vary a bit depending on which study you read. According to the report ‘Don’t ask, don’t tell’ by Sue Dyson and colleagues, ‘more frequent and more harmful’ translates to stats like 33% of same sex attracted young people smoking marijuana at least once a month, compared to less than 6% of heterosexual young people.

More recent data from the ‘Writing themselves in again’ survey found that 25% of same sex attracted young people use party drugs, and of these about one in five use them at least once a week. The same survey found that 4% reported injecting drugs – approximately double the percentage of heterosexual young people in the same age group.

Researchers suggest a whole range of reasons for why queer* young people use drugs, highlighting that these vary according to context – for instance, whether someone is using drugs in private or public spaces, alone or with friends.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, many of these reasons are not that dissimilar from those given by other young people, regardless of their sexuality or gender identity – to have fun, experimentation, to cope with stress or tough times, social pressures, even to enhance sex – the list is almost endless.

So then, why the difference in levels of use between these communities? And, in what ways does drug use differ between queer and heterosexual people?

One of the main explanations put forward by the research camp, is the observation that queer* people have historically relied on pubs, clubs and other spaces where drinking and drug use are encouraged, to meet other queer* people.

Studies over the last decade also show an association between particular types of drug use and whether queer* young people consider themselves attached to the ‘scene’ or ‘non-scene’. Some queer* young people believe that drugs are also an important part of ‘creating and celebrating a sense of community and belonging’.

Additionally, many queer* young people continue to experience challenges in coming to terms with their identities, in what remains a pretty straight, binary-gendered world. While things definitely appear to be improving on that front, homophobia and social isolation remain very real issues for some, and has been associated with higher levels of drug use.

All of that said, the researchers say that the reasons queer* young people use drugs are not always directly related to challenges experienced in coming to terms with sexuality or gender issues. Experts John Howard and Anthony Arcuri say in the book Sex, Drugs and Young People:

“young people are young people, and therefore subject to all that is involved in this transitional period of growth and development. Substance use can make sense in contexts of normal youthful experimentation”

References

Dyson, S., Mitchell, A., Smith, A., Dowsett, G., Pitts, M., & Hillier, L. (2003). Don’t ask, don’t tell. Report of the same-sex attracted youth suicide data collection project. Melbourne, Australia: Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health & Society.

Hillier, L., Turner, A., & Mitchell, A. (2005). Writing themselves in again: 6 years on - the 2nd national report on the sexuality, health & well-being of same-sex attracted young people. Melbourne, Australia: Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health & Society.

Howard, J. and Arcuri, A. (2006) Drug use among same-sex attracted young people. In:  Aggleton, P., Ball, A. and Mane, P. Sex, Drugs and Young People: international perspectives.  Routledge:  London.