Bay Area Reporter - June 15, 2006
Matthew S. Bajko, m.bajko@ebar.com

The appropriation was pushed by members of the LGBT Legislative Caucus.

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger must still approve the spending proposal, and it remains to be seen how much of the funds will go toward targeting the gay community. The funding comes after several AIDS agencies in March requested state lawmakers allocate $7.5 million to combat gay men's meth use in the state's AIDS Office 2006-2007 budget, with half going to social marketing campaigns and the other half to treatment programs.

Legislators rebuffed the request, saying it was too narrowly focused on gay men and urban areas when meth is a statewide problem and impacts various communities. Dana Van Gorder, director of state and local affairs for the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, said the coalition of AIDS agencies is pleased to see the state commit funds toward meth but is still concerned on how the money will be spent.

"This is a good start. It is the first year the legislature has acknowledged the depth of this problem," said Van Gorder. "We will now have to talk to the department on how they intend to allocate that money."

The state also plans to commit $136 million in Proposition 36 money to help people convicted of drug related offenses to go into drug treatment programs. The funds are expected to help people addicted to meth but fall short of what the AIDS agencies had initially sought.

"We want an allocation for MSM not going through the criminal justice system," said Van Gorder.

Despite anecdotal evidence that meth use among gay men in San Francisco is dropping, in other parts of the state use of the drug, known as speed or crystal, is on the rise. Data collected on more than 19,000 gay men in Los Angeles showed that meth use increased from 5.8 percent in 2001 to 10.3 percent in 2004. Researchers also found that the rise was more dramatic among HIV-positive gay men, increasing from 11.7 percent to 30.2 percent. Gay men who reported having sex while using methamphetamine, increased from 73 percent to 86.5 percent.

"We have seen an incredible spike in the number of gay men using methamphetamine come through our HIV as well as STD counseling and testing programs," said Matt Hamilton, director of HIV and AIDS policy at the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center. "Last year, while it is not published research yet, it's looking like roughly 50 percent of people testing HIV-positive reported meth use within the last six months, up from 30 percent in 2004."

Even in San Francisco, the drug is still seen as a key factor in the continued transmission of HIV cases in the city. As for the state, it is estimated that up to half of the 6,800 to 7,650 new HIV infections that occur annually among gay men and other men who have sex with men in California may be related to meth use.

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