While accurate numbers are difficult to obtain, LGB people are believed to use illicit drugs at a rate approximately 2.5 times greater than the heterosexual community. This is regarded as a conservative estimate. The higher rate of use found in the LGB communities has been, at least partially, attributed to the stress of living as a member of a stigmatized minority (Ostrown, 2000 cited in Banks, 2003).

Sharing needles and other drug-related paraphernalia can also lead to contracting blood borne diseases such as HIV and Hepatitis C.

A summary of several studies looking at alcohol abuse in LGB communities identified that alcohol abuse among LGB communities occurs at a rate approximately 1.7 times greater than in non-LGB communities. That means that approximately 16% of the LGB population could be labeled as having an addiction to alcohol (Banks, 2003).

Several researchers have suggested that the higher rate of alcohol abuse in the LGB communities is linked to experiencing homophobia and heterosexism in their communities. In fact, when the LGB person is no longer in a homophobic environment, the intensity of alcohol-related problems is reduced (Banks, 2003).