Poppers, apps, and pleasure: From set to setting among sexually diverse men in Mexico

Poppers (alkyl nitrites) are widely used among sexually diverse men to enhance sexual pleasure. However, research has historically been dominated by risk-centered frameworks such as associations with HIV or other STIs, overlooking user motivations related to hedonic reward, intimacy, and agency. This conceptual oversight is particularly evident in the Global South. This study explores the benefits, motivations, and social meanings of poppers consumption among sexually diverse men in Mexico, emphasizing its relationship with dating applications.

A mixed-methods cross-sectional study used an electronic survey administered in 2023 to sexually diverse cisgender men. The analytic sample included participants who reported lifetime poppers use and answered an open-ended question on substance use and dating applications (N = 358). Data were analyzed using directed content analysis informed by the set and setting framework. Descriptive statistics were calculated for sociodemographic and substance use variables.

Participants described poppers use as a positive embodied practice that intensified sensory arousal and expressed agency. Use was often partner-mediated and embedded in negotiation and intimacy. Dating applications emerged as digital spaces where poppers use was normalized, facilitated access to substances, and enabled filtering for sexually compatible partners.

Among this sample, poppers use appears as a culturally situated practice embedded within an economy of pleasure. Findings challenge dominant risk-based narratives and highlight the need for public health interventions that move beyond stigma and incorporate pleasure-centered harm reduction approaches that recognize relational dynamics and digital contexts.