Washington Blade - November 2, 2001
Eric Erickson
In "The Stonewall Experiment: A Gay Psychohistory," author Ian Young outlines the interesting and often controversial history of video head cleaner. In the book, published in 1999, Young courageously proclaims, "Poppers are back!"
Originally, amyl nitrate was used as a vascular dilator by people with angina. "They just took a whiff of it on odd occasions when the old ticker felt funny," Young wrote.
The liquid nitrate came in small ampoules that were "popped" to release fumes, and the name "poppers" was conceived.
When nitroglycerin tablets were introduced for angina pain and it appeared poppers would disappear forever, they were introduced to military troops in Vietnam as an antidote to gun fumes.
When soldiers came back from war, they kept up the demand for poppers and a sexual fad was born as people realized poppers pepped up the sexual experience. It was especially helpful for gay men who needed help in relaxing to be a recipient of anal sex.
Young stated that by 1978, the popper industry profited more than $50 million a year, largely, he said, by promoting them in the gay media. With names such as "Rush," "Jac," and "Locker Room," amyl nitrate enjoyed extreme popularity until the '80s, when health officials linked the little brown bottle to AIDS.
Poppers returned in the '90s after their link to AIDS was largely dismissed. They are often disguised as video head cleaner, but can also be found as room deodorizer or liquid incense.
Typical physical effects include headache, flushing of the face, decrease in blood pressure, increased pulse, dizziness, and relaxation of involuntary muscles, especially the blood vessel walls and the anal sphincter.
There are no known withdrawal symptoms, although some people who use poppers said you can become addicted and rely on poppers to have sex.
Overdose symptoms include nausea, vomiting, decreased blood pressure and respiration, fainting, coldness of the skin. Circulatory collapse and death is also possible, especially when combined with certain other drugs.
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