British singer Sam Smith, 27, confirmed in an interview with the program Radio andy, from SiriusXM radio, who “loves” poppers, a medication frequently used by gay men because of its relaxing effect on involuntary smooth muscles in the body – including those of the anal sphincter, which facilitates penetration during anal sex.
The non-binary artist was seen with Pussycat Dolls singer Nicole Scherzinger wearing poppers at a gay nightclub in London in December 2019, and since then it has been a question of whether Smith inhales the medication or not.
“I can completely confirm that I love poppers! I’ve been embarrassed to say this, but I have so much fun when I use it,” she said. “I’m not trying to support it, [because] I know it’s not good for your health. [But] I mean, alcohol isn’t good either, right?”
The scientific community recommends caution when using poppers, since its side effects can harm the health of those who ingest it. According to doctor Vinicius Lacerda, specialized in digestive surgery and coloproctology, on the website Put it on the Wheel, the medicine has the following possible side effects:
- “Changes in vision, many of them irreversible;
- Cyanosis (purple mouth and mucous membranes) due to the difficulty in carrying oxygen by your red blood cells;
- Headaches;
- Flushing and redness;
- When in contact with the skin or mucous membranes, they can cause burns;
- Cardiovascular problems, especially in those who already have a history of heart disease;
- NEVER use Poppers together with medications used for sexual impotence, such as sildenafil (Viagra) or tadalafil (Cialis), as both are also vasodilators which, when combined, can lower your blood pressure and even cause cardiorespiratory arrest.”
