This is the cover of Death Rush: Poppers & AIDS, a 64-page book published by Pagan Press in 1986. Its purpose was to warn gay men about the dangers of the nitrite inhalants or alkyl nitrites (amyl nitrite, butyl nitrite, isobutyl nitrite, et al.).

Although Death Rush: Poppers & AIDS has been out-of-print for many hears now, the medical information is still valid. the toxicities of these drugs have not changed.The nitrite inhalants are still powerfully mutagenic; they still cause anemia; they are still immunosuppressive.

To read Death Rush click here.

Here are some online articles on poppers.

• Robert Payne, the editor of Drummer (an S&M magazine “for the macho male”) reviewed Death Rush very favorably in issue 98 (late 1986). To read his review in HTML form click here. To see facsimile reproductions of the Drummer review and cover click here.

• John Lauritsen: NIDA Meeting Calls for Research into the Poppers-Kaposi's Sarcoma Connection. Click here.

• Ian Young: The Poppers Story: The Rise and Fall and Rise of “The Gay Drug”. Click here.

• John Lauritsen: Queer Advertising: From Poppers to Protease Inhibitors. Click here.




        Back to AIDS page.

        John Lauritsen's home page.