USE OF HARM REDUCTION SUPPLIES FOR non-intended purposes

Harm reduction supplies are made to minimize the risks associated when using drugs. This can only happen if the equipment is used as intended. People will come up with creative ways to use the supplies to meet their specific needs. While this is very ingenious, it may not always be safe.

Individuals may feel hesitant sharing how they actually use the supplies. That is why it’s important to build trust and let people know you would like to learn from them about ways of preparing and using drugs. Once relationships are created you can use your knowledge to offer suggestions to support safer practices and reduce risks.

Try these lines:

“ You mentioned that you use alcohol swabs after injection? Just want you to know, they can increase bleeding and keep blood from clotting. It’s best to use the dry swab found in the Stericup or One-Use cooker packages, even a clean tissue will work.”

“ If you’re doing washes, they can be risky. You can make a wash safer by heating your drugs to a boil before injecting. Just let it cool before you inject. By cooking the drug first you’ll kill off bacteria/ mould/yeast/fungi that could be on the drug or the equipment.”

“ So you sometimes sharpen your needles on a matchbox? You should know that the needle tips are very sensitive and can be damaged after one injection. Even if your eye can’t see it, they barb after a single use. It’s so small but can still cause you problems. Try to plan ahead and get enough needles so you can always use a new one with each injection.”

“ It’s not a great idea to retrofit the stems. When you use a blow torch to change the design, it compromises the glass. Then, when you go to use your new pipe, it can actually blow-up in your face. This has happened before and is really dangerous”.