Is Iraq violence causing male impotence?

The headline of a recent USA Today article eye-catchingly reads, “Violence taking a toll on Iraqi men’s love lives.”

But is it really true?

The article claims that stress from all the violence in Iraq is affecting Iraqi men’s performance in the bedroom. One pharmacist says that since early 2005, his sales of Viagra knockoffs—which don’t require a prescription like Viagra does in the United States—have spiked from four or five packets a day to 10 a day now.

But wait a second. This pharmacist says he’s been selling Viagra knockoffs for more than five years. So, why the sudden surge since only 2005? Granted, psychological stress may have increased especially in the past two years, but the the article hints at another not-to-be-ignored reason for the recent uptick in sales: Viagra abuse.

The increase in sales has been among younger men, and the pharmacist says, “It’s really strange to see so many young people asking for it.”

In other countries, recreational Viagra abuse has occurred among young people who think the drug is an aphrodisiac, even though the drug doesn’t improve sexual function in men without erectile dysfunction. This article says that some Iraqi pharmacists suspect similar Viagra abuse in their country as well.

So perhaps it isn’t the stress of war that’s driving sales of the little blue pill. Perhaps the surge is due to a sentiment expressed by an Iraqi man in April 2003 when asked what he hoped the Americans would bring to Iraq. His answer:

Democracy. Whiskey. And sexy!