Tina and Slamming in a sexual setting

The Netherlands

Mainline, together with SOA Aids Nederland, presented: 'Tina and Slamming'. This report addresses the use of methamphetamine (crystal meth or tina) and slamming (intravenous use) as a route of administration, by men who have sex with men (MSM), in a sexual setting - also known as chemsex.

Study
These two phenomenona were never previously encountered or described in the Netherlands. Our study is based upon a desk review of statistical Dutch data, a literature review and 27 in-depth interviews with MSM that use crystal meth.

Additionally, several professionals working with MSM, or involved in HIV, STDs and addiction treatment and care were interviewed. Due to a lack of statistically relevant data, little is known about the prevalence of crystal meth use and injecting among the Dutch MSM population as a whole.

Conclusions
Crystal meth is not widely used in the Netherlands and injection of any drugs is uncommon. Crystal, under the street name Tina, is mostly used during chemsex parties; often small-scale, private parties that men-who-have-sex-with-men combine sex and drugs.

The report was launched during an expert meeting in Utrecht, the Netherlands on 13 October 2015.

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