And there was good news.

The Stop AIDS Project on Thursday reported a “dramatic” drop in crystal meth use among gay and bisexual men in San Francisco.

“The reality is more and more gay and bisexual men are steering clear of crystal meth, recognizing its destructive nature, addictiveness and its high association with HIV transmission,” said Jason Riggs, communications director of Stop AIDS Project. “The city, Stop AIDS Project and other organizations are well-poised to capture the momentum of this downward trend to help build a healthier community.”

Stop AIDS Project, which claims to be the nation’s largest data collector on gay and bisexual men’s behavior, reported that 10 percent of men who have sex with men admitted to using crystal meth in the first half of 2005. That is down from 2003, when 18 percent reported using crystal meth in the prior six months.

The downward trend is based on data collected from 4,197 completed surveys.

“Stop AIDS survey data is evidence that our city and community collaboration on crystal meth is working,” said San Francisco City Supervisor Bevan Dufty.

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Previous posts on crystal meth here and here.