What Are Some of the Other Side Effects?

Safe or not, overuse of poppers can make you feel like hell, producing headaches, dizziness, and a sort of crappiness all over.

If you start feeling that way, put the little bottle away, open the windows wide, and take a deep breath. And remember, no matter how disorienting a poppers rush may be, it only lasts a few minutes.

The combination of temporary ego loss and becoming a total sex-pig can also tempt guys to do riskier stuff than they might otherwise. Guys who use poppers while they're getting screwed often feel it helps them loosen up their sphincter, but it also enlarges the blood vessels in the anal lining, which might facilitate infection by HIV, should a couple be foolhardy enough not to be using a condom.

Also, the prohibition of the over-the-counter sale of amyl nitrite for medical use means that the poppers sold for recreational use (and labeled "video head cleaner" or "room odorizer") are bootleg blends of anonymous chemicals unregulated by the Food and Drug Administration.

On balance then? A lot of people think using poppers really enhances sex. If you're otherwise healthy, and if you don't drink the stuff or get it in your eyes, there's no hard-and-fast evidence that occasional, moderate use of amyl nitrite poses much of a health risk. But hey, I'm not a doctor, just your average, everyday sex-hound.

Oh, and two other dangers. First, the use of poppers may convince you that the stranger in your bed is the love of your life. And second, the stuff is (really) flammable. Watch that romantic bedside candle, or your next orgasm might turn out to be quite literally explosive.