Episode 489: How Poppers Changed Sex

Humans have always looked for ways to enhance sex, but some of the most popular tools weren’t even meant for that purpose at all. One drug, originally developed for heart conditions, made its way into nightlife and became closely tied to sex. In today’s episode, we’re talking all about poppers, including how they work, how they became linked to pleasure, and why they’re still so controversial. I am joined once again by Adam Zmith, a writer and multi-format producer. His books include Deep Sniff: A History of Poppers and Queer Futures , as well as Solemates: A History of Our Fetish for Feet . Some of the specific topics we explore include: What exactly are poppers? Why do people use them to enhance sex? How did they become embedded in queer nightlife? What myths have fueled stigma around them? Are there any risks in using them? Check out Adam’s website to learn more about his work. Got a sex question? Send me a podcast voicemail to have it answered on a future episode at speakpipe.com/sexandpsychology. *** Thank you to our sponsors! If you’re looking to gain a broad understanding of human sexuality or refresh your knowledge, check out the upcoming Human Sexuality Intensive courses at the Kinsey Institute: *** Want to learn more about Sex and Psychology? Click here for previous articles or follow the blog on Facebook , Twitter , or Bluesky to receive updates. You can also follow Dr. Lehmiller on YouTube and Instagram . Listen and stream all episodes on Apple , Spotify , or Amazon .

You can listen to Episode 489: How Poppers Changed Sex online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

Episode 489: How Poppers Changed Sex is an episode from Sex and Psychology Podcast by Dr. Justin Lehmiller.

This episode is 26:05 long.

This episode was published on Apr 3, 2026.

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