LGBs & Alcohol/Drug Misuse

1. LGBs & Alcohol/Drug Misuse Jan Bridget Lesbian Information Service Gay and Lesbian Youth in Calderdale

2. U.S.A. All Ages (1) • Early research higher levels of alcohol/drug use and abuse among the LGB population than het. population. • Early research reliant on contacting LGB people via gay bars which could account for high levels of use. • Difficult to make comparisons because of problems with definitions of use and abuse, sexual orientation. • Appears to be greater abuse of alcohol among lesbians than het. women; gay men seem to have similar levels of consumption as het. men. • Some studies suggest little difference between lesbians and heterosexual women.

3. USA: All Ages (2) • Many others found higher levels of use and abuse among lesbian and bisexual women. • Rate of drinking among lesbians not decline with age like the general population. • Even comparing lesbians and het. women who abused alcohol, lesbians had more difficulties relating to consumption and greater alcohol-related morbidity.. • There are higher levels of drug use among gay men than heterosexual men.

4. U.S.A.: Youth • Many studies have found LGB young people to be significantly more likely to use alcohol and drugs, in particular hard drugs, than heterosexual young people. • Some studies have found little differences between young gay men and young heterosexual men but higher levels of consumption by bisexual young men and higher levels among young lesbian and bisexual women than heterosexual young women; bisexual young women seem to be the most vulnerable. • Young LGB people who have been bullied at school are more likely to abuse substances. • Some studies have found higher levels of more serious drug use among young gay and bisexual men.

5. Elsewhere: All Ages • Swedish study found higher levels of alcohol use among lesbians than heterosexual women but not among gay men. • Australian study found higher levels of alcohol and drug use among LGBQ population than heterosexual population. • Norwegian survey found higher levels of alcohol use among lesbian and gay population than heterosexual population

6. Australia, 2010 • 33% smoked tobacco, much higher proportion than women in general community; smoking most common in 16-24 year olds (43%) • 86% used alcohol; 55% consumed more than the recommended guidelines to reduce lifetime risk of alcohol related disease or injury; 28% drank at levels likely to put them at risk of alcohol-related injury on a single drinking occasion. Risky drinking was higher than in the general community • In the preceding six months, 49% had used one or more illicit drugs including cannabis (36%), ecstasy (18%) and speed (16%). Rates of drug use were much higher than in the general community

7. Elsewhere: Youth • Australian study found young lesbians more likely than heterosexual young women to use alcohol • Norwegian study found young lesbian and gays twice as likely as heterosexual youth to use illegal drugs. • Another Australian survey found LGB young people more likely than heterosexual young people to use illegal drugs, this was particularly noticeable among young lesbians and bisexual women. • A further Australian study found higher levels of binge drinking and injected drug use among LGB young people than among heterosexual youth.

8. Britain: All Ages • Whilst there have been several drug surveys which show significant use of illegal drugs among the LGB population, few compare consumption levels with heterosexuals. • Several surveys have found higher levels of alcohol use among lesbians than heterosexual women. • A study in north west England found higher levels of illegal drug use among gay men than among heterosexual population.

9. King & McKeown (2003) 656 gay men, 505 het men; 430 lesbians, 588 het women; 85 bi men, 113 bi women urban areas England /Wales • AUDIT scale, similar levels of alcohol misuse among gay men (9.17), heterosexual men (9.24) and bisexual men (9.41) • significantly higher levels of alcohol misuse among lesbians (8.09) and bisexual women (8.58) than among heterosexual women (6.46) • higher levels of recreational drug use among gay men (52%) and bisexual men (64%) than among heterosexual men (45%) within the past month • higher levels of recreational drug use among gay men (77%) and bisexual men (74%) than among heterosexual men (72%) ever • higher levels of recreational drug use among lesbians (44%) and bisexual women (52%) than among heterosexual women (33%) within the past month • higher levels of recreational drug use among lesbians (79%) and bisexual women (84%) than among heterosexual women (60%) ever

10. Stonewall: men, 2012 • Two thirds of gay and bisexual men have smoked at some time in their life compared to half of men in general • A quarter of gay and bisexual men currently smoke compared to 22 per cent of men in general •  More than two in five (42 per cent) gay and bisexual men drink alcohol on three or more days a week compared to 35 per cent of men in general • Half of gay and bisexual men have taken drugs in the last year compared to just one in eight men in general

11. Stonewall: women, 2011 • Two thirds of lesbian and bisexual women have smoked compared to half of women in general; just over a quarter currently smoke. • Nine in ten lesbian and bisexual women drink and 40 per cent drink three times a week compared to a quarter of women in general. • Lesbian and bisexual women are five times more likely to have taken drugs; over one in ten have taken cocaine, compared to three per cent of women in general.

12. Lesbian Gay Foundation 2012: 4,000 LGBTs • over a fifth of respondents scored as dependent on a substance, and a quarter showed at least one indicator of dependency; • 34% of gay and bisexual men and 29% of lesbian and bisexual women binge-drink at least one or twice a week, around twice as common than in the wider population; • 35% of those surveyed had taken at least one illicit substance in the last month, which is around seven times more common than in the general population. 

13. Britain: Youth • Bridget (1991) 20 young lesbian/bisexual women: 50% serious drink problems; 50% used drugs • Mullen (1999) 169 young LGBs: 22% more than recommended levels; 15% thought problem; 50% used drugs • Bridget (2000) 22 young LGBs: 21 used alcohol – 6 too much; 16 get drunk; 9 marijuana; 4 hard drugs • Carolan & Redmond (2003): 362 young LGBT (36% female, 63% male) • 34% (n=123) had experienced alcohol misuse 35% (n=81) male, 33% (n=43) female increases significantly for transgender - 50% (n=7) • 23% (n=82) experienced drug misuse, 23% (n=53) male, 22% (n=29) female; increases significantly for transgender 43% (n=6) • Stonewall (2011) (2012) LGF (2012) all found problems greater amongst younger participants.