Glow sticks are very popular. Like other products, it has potential to become very dangerous if not used properly. Although, glow sticks have very low potential of catching fire, glow sticks can create hazards if plastic is punctured or torn. The chemicals used in glow sticks can cause irritation to skin and if consumed orally can become very harmful. If this does occur, dispose of glow stick immediately. Wash your hands (or any other part of body which may have been exposed to chemicals) with soap and water. If any part of glow stick is consumed orally, see a doctor and call US National Poison Helpline immediately at 1-800-222-1222. If a pet has ingested chemical, call US Animal Poison Helpline at 1-800-213-6800. For more information on glow sticks and glow stick safety, check out www.glowsticksdirect.com.

Whatever you decide to do for Fourth of July holiday make sure to have fun, be safe and respect people around you.

•2 per cent had used crystal meth.

•1 per cent had used heroin.

Effects of Crystal Meth

“Crystal meth is an amphetamine drug that both stimulates and disinhibits, and like all amphetamines it can increase your heart rate, increase your blood pressure, raise your body temperature and cause seizures. Viagra dilates your blood vessels, and overall stress on your heart from combining these drugs can put a dangerous strain on your heart, increasing your risk of having a heart attack or stroke.” For HIV Positive, it’s thought, meth use carries other health risks. Doctors are concerned that crystal meth’s interaction with HAART could result in an accidental meth overdose.

HIV positive meth users become ill more quickly than they would have otherwise, take longer to recover from infections and respond poorly to HIV treatments.

Crystal use has already had serious consequences for US gay community and is all too rapidly spreading through UK. It has been around for a while, but with new drugs like Viagra overcoming crystal’s tendency to make you temporarily impotent, despite being horny, it’s never been more popular. Meth users experience a feeling of exhilaration, alertness and heightened sexual desire.

US call it PNP (Party ‘n Play), in UK we call it ‘chem sex’, but it means same - taking drugs to enhance 1-2-1 or group sex. Crystal meth already has ability to disinhibit and increase sexual desire; add other drugs into mix and invite real trouble. “Crystal meth makes people horny but it also makes it difficult to get a hard on,” says Dr Gavin Yamey, senior editor of US medical journal PloS Medicine. “That’s why some crystal meth users also take Viagra.”

Gay men mix Viagra with crystal meth, in addition to other party drugs, at circuit parties, according to a study by federal Centers for Disease Control