File on 4 Investigates - Chemsex: Hidden Pleasures, Hidden Harms

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File on Four explores the risks some gay men are taking by habitually mixing their sex lives with drug use. The practice, known as Chemsex has been on the gay scene for more than a decade. It involves taking illegal and addictive substances like Crystal Meth and GHB.

While the programme hears from some who say they can manage their use and it heightens their sexual pleasure, others are falling into destructive patterns of addiction, decline and even death.

Reporter Mobeen Azhar tries to assess the scale of the problem and hears from medical professionals who fear it could be a crisis that’s going under the radar.

Presenter: Mobeen Azhar
Producer: Alex Collins
Sound: Nicky Edwards
Production Coordinator: Tim Fernley
Editor: Nick Holland

Published on Tuesday, 4th November 2025.

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