This week saw the launch of a new national survey by the HSE, which aims to chart people’s experience with chemsex in Ireland. The results of the survey will inform sexual health, mental health, and harm reduction services in Ireland.

Chemsex refers to the use of drugs to either facilitate or enhance sexual experiences. The drugs that are most commonly associated with chemsex are Methamphetamine (also known as Crystal Meth), Mephedrone and GHB/GBL (also known as G). Other drugs that are used in chemsex are cocaine and ketamine.

CHEMSI, Chemsex in Ireland, has been launched by the HSE in collaboration with Man2Man and other community groups. It is the nation’s first chemsex survey to focus specifically on gay and bisexual men and other men who have sex with men and trans and non-binary people.

The survey is open to anyone over the age of 18 living in Ireland who identifies as a member of the aforementioned groups. Participants do not have to have experience with chemsex in order to submit their response.

While research into chemsex has been conducted in Ireland, much of it was carried out almost 10 years ago. Since then, the landscape of sexual health has changed significantly, and as a result, the HSE has said new research into chemsex is required.

The survey’s principal researcher, Dr Ralph Hurley O’Dwyer, spoke about the need to fill the research gap as the survey launched.

“For too long, services have been designed without up-to-date national information,” he said. “We need to understand people’s real experiences of chemsex in Ireland today so that future supports are shaped by evidence, not assumptions.”

The researcher also addressed the importance of a national approach to the survey. “Most of what we know about chemsex in Ireland comes from local clinic studies, often based in Dublin,” Dr Hurley O’Dwyer said. “A national survey allows us to understand regional differences and ensure services are planned fairly and equitably.”

The survey takes approximately 15 minutes to complete, and is entirely anonymous, with no identifying information collected. Questions relate to several topics, including sexual health, mental well-being, and access to healthcare. Participants are free to skip any question. You can access the survey here.