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Exclusive interview with Cameron Schwartz, Poppers Researcher and Public Health Specialist

Canada banned poppers in 2013, and the Canadian gay community has been fighting for more than 10 years to get back the sexual aid product to reduce pain and increase pleasure during penetrative sex. We had the chance to speak to a person who knows the effects of the Poppers Ban in Canada. Cameron Schwartz is a researcher studying the outcomes of regulatory policy on poppers. He lives and works in Vancouver, Canada.

Cameron, could you quickly introduce yourself for our Poppers Community around the world?

I am a public health professional from Canada. Much of my work focuses on drug use, sexuality, and mental health. I have also led a program of community-engaged research to advance poppers-related science and evidence-based policy.

What was the result of the crackdown of Poppers in Canada in the years after 2013?

In Canada, poppers are considered a prescription drug, but they are not approved for sale or distribution. In the past, you could buy poppers in sex shops – albeit, this was a legal gray area. However, in 2013, the government cracked down on poppers sales, removing these products from stores entirely and threatening sellers with fines and imprisonment.

One important factor when considering the outcome of this policy is that people continue to use poppers. In fact, data from the Community-Based Research Centre (a national queer and trans-led organization in Canada), suggest that the frequency of poppers use didn’t change significantly after the crackdown. Instead of buying poppers from stores, people started to buy poppers from unregulated sources like dealers or online shops. A study I published in 2020 confirmed that, despite the crackdown, people continue to rely on poppers to improve their sex lives, yet they also lack confidence in the safety of the unregulated products they are using. Evidence also suggests more harmful chemicals (like ethyl chloride) have replaced traditional poppers chemicals in some cases.

You speak about marginalization of the gay community with the ban of Poppers. Can you explain that?

We can think about marginalization and poppers regulation in multiple ways. In one sense, marginalization is an outcome. Countries that make poppers illegal are criminalizing substances specifically associated with anal sex, and in doing so, they are reinforcing and recreating the notion that gay people don’t belong in their society.

But, in another sense, marginalization is the cause of these policies. With colleagues in Canada, I published a critical review examining health science research on poppers. We found that, unlike other drugs used as sexual aids (erectile enhancement drugs, vaginal estrogen, etc.), research on poppers use was influenced systematically by homophobia, heteronormativity, and stigma related to inhalant drugs. While poppers are often used in a therapeutic way (to reduce pain during anal sex), the existing research mostly seeks to identify harm. As a result, we have a biased understanding of poppers use, and it is more difficult for health regulators to accept poppers products than other drugs (like erectile enhancement drugs).

What do you think about recent claims that poppers cause AIDS?

Poppers do not cause AIDS. The connection between poppers and the onset of AIDS-defining illnesses has received significant attention from researchers, as poppers are used most often by gay men, and most often in sexualized settings. However, the idea that poppers cause AIDS was proven false in the 1980s following the discovery of HIV. This recent review does a good job describing the epidemiology of poppers use and HIV/AIDS.

How do you assess the different formulations in terms of health? (Pentylnitrite, Isopropylnitrite, Isobutylnitrite, Hexylnitrite, Amylnitrite)

More research is needed to truly understand the different safety profiles of each poppers chemical. Some trends exist between known harms and specific chemicals; That said, each of these chemicals works through the same physiological pathway, so interpreting these trends without more evidence is challenging.

For example, preliminary research suggests isopropyl nitrite may be associated with a rare form of eye damage called retinal maculopathy. However, this disease has also been brought on by other poppers chemicals, and more work is needed to understand the physiological mechanism behind this disease. Some people also refer to isobutyl nitrite as carcinogenic. That said, these data come from studies on animals, and it is unclear to what extent we can generalize these findings to humans. I’m not aware of any comparable studies done on other poppers chemicals (amyl nitrite, isopropyl nitrite, etc.) so there’s little we can say about the respective risks when it comes to cancer.

What advice do you have for governments and regulators around the world?

Generally, I would urge regulators to clearly identify the intended objectives their policy seeks to achieve, and develop a strategy to evaluate whether these objectives are being met. Regulators often assume that banning substances will increase public safety or absolve them of liability, but when it comes to poppers, I think the opposite is true. Evidence suggests that banning poppers can increase harms through a lack of regulation and substitution of more harmful drugs.

It is also important to acknowledge the bias that has shaped the available research on poppers and to carefully assess the values and assumptions that we bring into this work. Comparing (and questioning) the legal status of poppers with respect to other available drugs, (erectile enhancement drugs, prescription narcotics, tobacco, etc.) may offer a useful basis to begin these reflections.

What is your final advice for all the poppers users and enthusiasts around the world?

While there is a lot we don’t know about poppers, certain formulations of these drugs have been used quite safely since the 1800s. My advice for people who use poppers would be to avoid isopropyl nitrite and to listen to your body (If you feel dizzy, stop… If you are experiencing significant side effects, stop….). Similarly, if you have a heart condition or take drugs like sildenafil (Viagra), exercise caution and talk to a doctor before using poppers. Otherwise, I would encourage people to embrace their sexuality, resist shame, and make the decisions that feel right for them.

Cameron Schwartz, poppers researcher and public health specialist

Cameron Schwarz Bio

Cameron Schwartz is a researcher and public health professional with experience in Canada and the UK. His work spans the areas of research, quality improvement, medical education, and health promotion. Cameron holds a Master of Public Health degree from Simon Fraser University and a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of British Columbia.