Could Miami's porn industry be responsible for the adult film industry's latest HIV scare?
On Wednesday, the American adult film industry ground to a halt after reports that an actor might have contracted the virus. The Free Speech Coalition, an industry trade association based in California, announced it had "received notification from a public health department official of HIV exposure on an out-of-state set."
That leaves Las Vegas and Miami as the two likely sources of the scare.
See also: Is Filming Porn Illegal in Florida? Some Experts Say Yes
It's still unclear if anyone has actually contracted the virus. In August, the porn industry announced a two-day production moratorium after an initial test suggested HIV exposure on a California set. However, that turned out to be a false positive.
FSC has said it will announce later today if production can resume or if actors must be tested further.
The coalition has not identified the state in which the "HIV exposure" took place. The group did not return requests for comment.
At least one source in Miami's porn industry tells New Times the scare took place here, however.
It's plausible. Outside of California and its infamous San Fernando Valley (AKA Silicone Valley), there are only two thriving porn scenes in the United States: Las Vegas and Miami (South Florida).
Both cities have benefited from recent efforts to regulate porn production in California. In 2012, Los Angeles County passed a law requiring that condoms be used in adult films.
Porn companies and actors argued that the law was a violation of their freedom of speech. Courts eventually enforced the law, however, and applications for porn permits plummeted by 90 percent in 2013.
This summer, activists tried to expand the condom requirement to the entire state, but the legislation died in committee.
Still, some California porn companies have begun relocating to Vegas, Miami, and Eastern Europe -- despite the fact that porn is arguably illegal in Florida and Nevada.
Send your tips to the author, or follow him on Twitter @MikeMillerMiami.
Follow Miami New Times on Facebook and Twitter @MiamiNewTimes.
