EP 24 - The "war on bottoms" - Fighting the poppers ban

Sydney Sexual Health Centre

Poppers, also known as Amyl, are names given to chemicals of the class Alkyl Nitrites. They are used by many gay and bisexual men as they have a relaxation effect on involuntary smooth muscles, and can assist in bottoming during anal sex. In June 2018, Australia's Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) motioned to reschedule alkyl nitrites to be in the same category as heroin and cocaine (Schedule 9). This was met by criticism from the LGBTIQ community for being discriminatory. A coalition of activists, doctors, and policy professionals joined forces to oppose the ban. After community consultations, the TGA decided not to proceed with the ban - though the outcome has left many wondering what comes next? In this podcast I am joined by two of the community activists involved in defeating the proposed ban on poppers: Steve Spencer and Daniel Reeders. To find out more about the ban, and how to access poppers safely and legally, go to: https://www.rinseandrepeat.info/ To stay up to date with the latest information in sexual health, you can follow us on social media: https://www.facebook.com/SydneySHC https://twitter.com/SydneySHC https://www.linkedin.com/company/sydney-sexual-health-centre Host: Thomas Munro (he/him) Guests: Steve Spencer and Daniel Reeders We acknowledge the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, the traditional custodians of the land on which this podcast was recorded. We pay our respects to the elders past, present, and emerging wherever you are listening from.