It is a strange, deadly mix of drugs and sex.

And it has ruined a promising doctor's future, dashed his cabby father's hopes and exposed the lifestyle of a minority of gays.

Medical houseman Adrian Yeo, 27, saw his entire future flushed down the drain because of his weakness for Ice and gay sex.

He was sentenced to eight months in jail earlier this week for possession of methamphetamin, or Ice.

He was arrested after a man he chatted with online invited him for a sex session with a third man at a Bencoolen Street hotel.

But the two strangers turned out to be undercover anti-narcotics officers who found drugs on him when he arrived.

 
DANGEROUS HABIT

Yeo's case highlights a dangerous habit that is catching on in the gay community, say insiders. It involves men, mostly in their 20s and 30s, who are well-educated and with good jobs.

Why the need for drugs in sex?

A source familiar with the gay scene here told The New Paper of an alarming cycle of abuse 'They take drugs like Ecstasy to give them that sense of euphoria. But such drugs kill their erection. So they take Viagra at the same time.

'The drugs take about 20 to 30 minutes to kick in.

'Then comes the sex.'

The 25-year-old marketing executive, who wants to be known only as John, said that, sometimes, the men would take a combination of Ecstasy, Ice and Viagra.

'Both drugs makes you high, but Ice, in particular, is said to make you horny. That's why some people call it the love drug.

'But both drugs kill your erection, and that's when Viagra is needed to help you with stamina.'

True? Not entirely.

It is a misconception, said Dr Brian Yeo, a consultant psychiatrist at Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre.

Dr Yeo, who has counselled cases similar to Yeo's, said the drugs do not kill one's erection.

But Viagra is used because there are often multiple sexual partners at such trysts and more 'adventurous demands are made'.

Said Dr Yeo 'There is a danger because people are combining drugs.

'And some are going on to harder drugs like cocaine because they feel Ecstasy is no longer enough to sustain that high they are looking for.'

Dr Yeo said people abusing drugs before sex has been going on for many years. It is not a recent trend, he said, and involves only a small group of gays here.

And it is not confined to the gay community.

'We've heard of people doing drugs before sex at KTVs and bars for years. Both men and women.'

He was unable to provide statistics.

The issue gained public attention after the first gay drug syndicate was busted here in March.

To crack the case, undercover officers from the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) had to pose as gays because the syndicate operated exclusively for and among the gay community.

All the suspects were gay - the supplier, who's also a trafficker, another trafficker and customers.

The syndicate did not supply to women and heterosexuals.

Some gay men have resorted to more creative ways of taking the drugs.

It is common for them to insert the pills up their rectum before sex, said John.

 
COMMON

They believe the drugs are absorbed faster this way.

Said John 'The drugs kick in much faster. Instead of the usual 20-minute wait to get high, it will take about 10 minutes.'

Dr Yeo said that it's also common for the men to end the night with alcohol and sleeping pills.

Many are professionals or students who have to return to work or school the next morning.

'After a night of wild partying, the men may have trouble sleeping. But because it is a work or school day the next day, they resort to drinking or taking sleeping pills to help them sleep.'

But they are dealing with a potentially deadly cocktail, he warned.

Said Dr Yeo 'Imagine, in one night, they would have taken Ecstasy, sometimes Ice and cocaine and Viagra, followed by alcohol and sleeping pills.

'The stimulants speed up one's heart rate and blood pressure, and can be deadly for people with weak hearts.'

But Dr Yeo, who has been a psychiatrist for about 15 years, said he has not come across any deaths so far.

He also declined to share with us details of other similar cases he has counselled, citing patient confidentiality.

Knowing the dangers and what is at stake, why do they still indulge?

Said Dr Yeo 'Forbidden fruit is always sweeter. It's the irresistible mix of secrecy and danger. These are young people who are looking for a thrill and want to experiment.